No two nights were the same but you could rest assured that each one would be filled with some of the world’s most unanswerable questions. And it seems I wasn’t alone; I had friends, family and neighbours all face the same battle of endless questions, hand-holding and failed get-away attempts most nights. For most of us, it had become routine and we accepted this as our lot for now because surely it wouldn’t last forever.
And while we’d never deny our children this reassurance, there are times we might extend it begrudgingly. “I just want five minutes to myself” I’d mutter crossly, just loud enough so they’d hear. Play therapist and life coach, Megan Crowe explains why we need to look a little closer at these bedtime behaviours as opposed to resentfully falling into their beds beside them every night hoping they will eventually just “grow out of it.
” — Silence — possibly for the first time in the day as our heads hit the pillow and, with that, comes the busyness of our thoughts, which for some children Crowe says can feel overwhelming: “It is understandable that in today’s society where children are constantly on the go, rarely having time to experience boredom, that there might be a struggle with being still.” Without opportunity throughout the day to process our thoughts and feelings, it’s only natural that they build up at bedtime. For children, Crowe advises, “it’s important to have moments of stillness and relaxation within their day s.
