Get it? Maddie came home from school wearing this the other day. What a geek.
No, seriously, here's a a question for you...
Do you have a child that just can't sleep?
That would be Maddie.
She has never required much sleep, but it seems to be getting worse.
How late do you let your 8 year old stay up?
She'll stay up and read, and ponder upon things until she gets herself worked up.
The past 4 nights, she's come down to let us know "Something hurts"
Like tonight, there was a "bump" in her mouth.
What am I supposed to do to fix that?
Or, she'll come down saying that something bit her in her bed.
Really?
We had a few really rough days where she was complaining of a headache - until something better came along. (She was in terrible pain, until the neighbor came and wanted to play. Or, her head hurt from the TV being on, but yet she could play the piano just fine).
On one such night, I found this on her bed after she had finally fallen asleep:
(I can't seem to get the image to turn, how odd).
It's a run-down of everything wrong with her which includes: headache, runny nose, bleeding scrape on her right knee, pain in the left top and bottom of leg, dizzy all the time, always cold, bruise in middle of head, body so sore, so tired, bumped knee on bed.
Poor kid.
And yet, when I suggest she sleep and see if it helps her feel better, she insists she's not tired.
Do you know what I did in response to her note?
I printed out this poem by Shel Silverstein
Said little Peggy Ann McKay.
"I have the measles and the mumps,
A gash, a rash and purple bumps.
My mouth is wet, my throat is dry.
I'm going blind in my right eye.
My tonsils are as big as rocks,
I've counted sixteen chicken pox.
And there's one more - that's seventeen,
And don't you think my face looks green?
My leg is cut, my eyes are blue,
It might be the instamatic flu.
I cough and sneeze and gasp and choke,
I'm sure that my left leg is broke.
My hip hurts when I move my chin,
My belly button's caving in.
My back is wrenched, my ankle's sprained,
My 'pendix pains each time it rains.
My toes are cold, my toes are numb,
I have a sliver in my thumb.
My neck is stiff, my voice is weak,
I hardly whisper when I speak.
My tongue is filling up my mouth,
I think my hair is falling out.
My elbow's bent, my spine ain't straight,
My temperature is one-o-eight.
My brain is shrunk, I cannot hear,
There's a hole inside my ear.
I have a hangnail, and my heart is ...
What? What's that? What's that you say?
You say today is .............. Saturday?
G'bye, I'm going out to play!"
Maddie didn't think it was funny.
I did.
4 comments:
May I brainstorm some possibilities with you? You can white them out on your monitor if you don't like them.
1>>
The first thing that comes to mind is "anxiety". She IS pre-pubescent and she may be having hormonal fluctuations that affect her perception and make her extra sensitive to physical sensations in her body (which can also elevate anxiety if she is not used to noticing these).
She may also simply just be becoming more aware of her body and so she is noticing the bumps in her mouth and that sometimes there are itchy sensations on her leg or a throbbing in her arm. (You know what I'm talking about.)
When she comes to you with her next complaint, kindly explain that there are millions of functions our body takes care of and sometimes when we are really quiet and calm at night, we become more aware of them. Remind her each night that she comes to you with her newest ailment.
2>>
The other thing that comes to mind is "attention". She may subconsciously be asking for some special attention. How often does she get meaningful daddy/daughter and mommy/daughter alone time? I am not saying you are neglecting her. I AM saying that pre-pubescence also brings new social awareness and starts germinating doubts of self-value. Getting extra and exclusive parental interaction (reassurance) from today on will help a lot as she physically matures.
I am sure you are excited to see the theme here is PUBERTY.
Our 9 year old has trouble falling asleep as well. We normally put her to bed around 9, but she would stay up until 10:30 or 11 stewing in the dark.
We recently made her a deal. She could stay up as late as she wants reading as long as she got up on time, was ready for school without being harassed, and wasn't extra cranky. If she was, she'd lose the privilege. It's worked pretty well so far.
Love the poem!!!!! Perfect!!!about the ?. Preston stays up late as well. It goes in spurts. He doesnt say things jurt but if he falls or any little bump its all over he wants an ace bandage and goes around like hes dieing. It annoys the heck out of me so I try to ignore it. But I think he kust beeds attention some times. Any way good luck. thanks for the christmas card your girls are soo cute. :)
Adhis, I think some of this stress might be tied to the Dome's moving. :( She's having a hard time with it.
John, we let her read also, but I think I'm going to add to the rule that she's not to come out of her room to complain or she can't stay up the next night.
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