Stressing Out...

I guess my girls are stressed out, or so my research on the internet says. You see, both of the girls are having sleeping issues. Alissa has been having nightmares pretty much every night this month and Jillian is sleepwalking. It was just my luck for them to both have an episode the same night.

It started with Jillian. It's about 10:30pm and I am almost asleep when I hear "please help me" from Jillian and shes hussling down the hall. I get up to find her turning every light on and headed for the family room. I call her name, she turns around and hussles over to me and gives me a hug then proceeds to say something. What, I have no clue as it was complete jiberish. Not a lick of it made ANY sense! I keep trying to guess what she's saying and them she gets frustrated, gives up and just starts pulling me to the family room. I encourage her to go back to bed and she does.

Now that I am COMPLETLY freaked out, I'm awake. So, I decide to look up sleepwalking online. Just a note, sometimes the internet isn't your friend. It tells me that if your child is sleepwalking you should:

Have a consistant bedtime. Yep, we already do, 8-8:30pm every weeknight and most weekends.

Don't eat right before bed. Yep, I have always thought it was bad for your body to make it work when it's suppose to rest while your sleeping.

Possible cause: stress. Great. I'm stressing my kid out! (This is where the internet is not always your friend) 

Because I am so tired I start to just skim the rest of the article to find a that sleepwalking and nightmares are linked in searches. Great. AND that for children who are sleepwalking and children having nightmares, for them to avoid bunk beds! Fab! I'm the worst mom EVER! They have bunk beds! I'm too tired to pursue the topic any further and have to leave it until the next day.

Shortly after I finally get to sleep, guess who's up? Yep, Alissa. She had another nightmare. I do the usual; give her a hug, tell her I love her, that she is safe, and to go to the bathroom. She's spooked and just lays in her room WIDE awake. I encourage her to read or listen to her iPod and she finally falls asleep.

Next thing I know it's time to get up and not only am I not rested but I feel like the worst mom EVER! My poor kids!

I am a true believer in energy in a room and I am anxiously awaiting Brett to get back from Elk camp to help me take apart their beds and rearrange their room.

I'm not sure what is stressing them out or even if they are but I'd like to get a resolution so that we can all sleep better.