Sleep is Boring and I am NEVER GOING TO DO IT AGAIN!!

Ahhh sleep......... a time to relax and restore for 6 or so hours.  A time to dream of running through daisy filled fields instead of driving to this and that therapy session.  A time to "sleep like a baby" and not have a care in the world.  AHHHHH wake up... sleep like a baby... have you ever really watched a baby sleep?  They twist and turn, flip and roll.  When my kids were babies I remember getting them from the crib and thinking it looked like they had spent the night competing in the sleeping Olympics!

I can't tell you how many ASD parents I have talked to about sleep but it is A LOT!!!! Sleep, well actually the lack of sleep, is a hot topic in our world.  Should we use medication, how can he have so much energy today on 2 milliseconds of sleep she got last night, he keeps showing up in my room wanting something,  I think I should keep him from napping because then he will sleep much better tonight, don't I have the Right to sleep? ...The questions and debate about sleep or not sleeping are being asked and debated about by very tired ASD parents all over the world.  Let's look at the ones I came up with.

Should we medicate?... My questions would be "Medicate your child or yourself?" If you want to medicate your child with natural sleepy supplements don't forget to involve a doctor.  IF, on the other hand, you decide to medicate yourself, don't forget that while you are slumbering in unaware bliss, your little one is likely throwing an EPIC ASD party that will make all of the Frat parties you have gone to or heard about look like a chess club meeting.

How can he have so much energy with so little sleep?... As we all know, the inner wiring or the ASD brain is completely different than that of other brains.  It gets revved up and just can't come down.  The more it is revved up the harder it is to stop.  You know that exhilaration you feel when you are with your best friends having a great time?  Magnify that times 1,000,000 and you have the exhilaration your ASD child feels with sensory overload.   Eventually when you least expect it he will stop and crash.  Don't know when or where but it will happen

He keeps showing up in my room wanting something.  Well, we asked for our kids to have communication skills right.  Sounds like he needs to work on time telling skills.  My son showed up in my room a few weeks ago in the wee hours of the morning.  He emphatically announced that he was never going to sleep again because sleep was BORING!!!  My husband ran from the room and hit the couch, (he gets up at 4AM so ever minute of sleep is important). James joined me in bed and chatted happily about Pokemon, Mario, Angry Birds and everything that is way better than sleep!  I fell asleep to the melody of his sweet voice keeping one ear open to keep an eye on him.  I woke up several hours later ready to start the day and deliver him to school fully prepared to hear him still talking.  Instead I found a very sacked out little man with no intention of getting ready for school. HAH.. my turn!!

I think I should keep him from napping because then he will sleep much better tonight.  Sounds like a good plan but DON'T FALL FOR IT it is a trick!!! A tired child is a horrible experience.  They get over stimulated  and make your life a horrible place to be!  They will likely fight harder going down and may still wake up at some ungodly hour.  Keep the nap for your sanity!  (See this sweet baby sleeping above?  So perfect and calm planning his next level of attack wrapped up in the sweet innocence of his baby body.  Doesn't matter how young or old your child is, they are capable of concocting the most wonderful plans to ruin your sleep!)
Don't I have the Right to sleep? Ummm, I just checked out the Bill of Rights and didn't see sleep anywhere mentioned Bill of Rights  According to my unofficial ASD Parent Bill of Rights (ohhh, sounds like another blog!) you have the right to want to sleep but no where is sleep mentioned as being a guarantee!  So sorry, no officially you don't have a standing guarantee of sleep but since ASD parents are super humans ~ sleep isn't our superpower AUTISM is!!

So today pick your mantra from those listed below or make one up on your own and have a great day!

1. Sleep is for wimps
2. Coffee!... must have coffee!!
3. Chocolate... must have chocolate!!   (we can combine two and three if M&M's would finally make a mocha flavor!!!!)
4. I can make it to 10AM...I can make it to 10:01AM...I can make it to 10:02AM....................
5. I'll sleep when I am dead
6. I can't wait to get to work to finally get a nap (not the best option but...)