Be a Better Parent Challenge - Day 25 - Get Some Sleep

Alternate title: "Don't take a night time road trip with while sick with a sick spouse and sick kids"

Okay, so it wasn't that bad, but it's realllllly hard to be a better parent in the car with a kid screaming for no reason, and then the same kid waking up every hour calling for you when you just so happen to be sleeping in the same bed with her.

Bad combo.

But hey! We're at the beach. And the kids are still fighting and driving me nuts, now just with sand in their butt cracks (heh).

Needless to say, sleep is super important to everything you do, particularly parenting skills. When I get it, and really, it's a matter of me forcing myself to go to bed early, I'm a much better parent.

#25: Get Some Sleep

I realize that it's not always feasible for folks to get a full night's sleep, but set your Tivo or DVR, put some projects and emails on temporary hold, and get some sleep. It's really quite amazing what an extra hour (or 4) can do.

Comments

[JCF]

Good advice. My husband, who can sleep through ANYTHING, is always suggesting that we go spend a full day at our friend's house (about an hour away) and then sleep over and head home after breakfast. We used to do this with these friends all the time when we only had one kid and it was a ton of fun. However, now that we have three under three, I just look at him with a raised eyebrow when he suggests this. I feel like kind of a buzz kill, but I know what it will be like with five of us crammed into one room, including a baby who wakes several times a night to nurse. No thank you. I value what little sleep I can get at home.