Energy sleep n focus

[Guest guest]

Hi all,

my daughter sierra, 8 yrs old, has sooo much energy to the point she can run on

very little sleep. I put her to bed at 9, and most nights she doesnt fall asleep

til 12 or after. Shes up 630 am to start the next day. She has trouble focusing

at school which im sure the sleep is part in that, but even on nights she is

getting sleep, the focusing isnt there. Ive tried the organic sleepytime tea,

massages, even laying in bed with her and nothing is working. Shes a heathy

eater and ive cut sugars even tho she doesnt have many to begin with. Im not

sure what else to do to get her on track. Any suggestions? Please n thx u !!

 

Tuesday, April 27, 2010 8:26:21 pm

 

" library.momma " <library.momma

Re: How much protein do your kids eat?

 

 

 

 

Hi Denise,

 

You have some good questions. My six-year-old son also goes through periods

where he seems famished, alternating with periods in which he (in my opinion)

barely eats. I figure when he's in some kind of growth spurt, he's hungrier than

when he isn't. Lately, he tells me he's hungry right before bedtime, but I'm not

sure if it's not some sort of tactic to delay going to bed. Still, I give him a

few grapes and sometimes a piece of toast with a little Earth Balance on it. He

did eat peanut butter for while but now is not so thrilled with it.

 

All foods have protein. It's a myth that plant foods don't contain any protein.

I've read extensively about this subject; being a vegan I often get questions of

this ilk: " But how does he get his protein? "

 

I have a great book at home that gives all the requirements for kids at various

ages. It's called " Raising Vegetarian Children, " by Joanne Stepanik and Vesanto

Melina. There are other great books out there as well that discuss this subject.

 

I a

[Guest guest]

You could try melatonin and 5HTP. Those supplements help a lot of people. The

other option, if you're not doing it now, is homeschooling! Rather than fight

her natural sleep cycles, you could homeschool, and not have to worry about a

daily fight to drag her out of bed at 6 or 7AM. She could get up and go to bed

when her body says to, and you can do lessons when she wakes up, no matter what

time that is. That's what we do, and it works great! Marilyn

 

 

 

 

 

lisa castillo <lisarcastillo

 

Tue, Apr 27, 2010 10:15 pm

Energy sleep n focus

 

 

 

 

Hi all,

my daughter sierra, 8 yrs old, has sooo much energy to the point she can run on

very little sleep. I put her to bed at 9, and most nights she doesnt fall asleep

til 12 or after. Shes up 630 am to start the next day. She has trouble focusing

at school which im sure the sleep is part in that, but even on nights she is

getting sleep, the focusing isnt there. Ive tried the organic sleepytime tea,

massages, even laying in bed with her and nothing is working. Shes a heathy

eater and ive cut sugars even tho she doesnt have many to begin with. Im not

sure what else to do to get her on track. Any suggestions? Please n thx u !!

 

Tuesday, April 27, 2010 8:26:21 pm

 

" library.momma " <library.momma

Re: How much protein do your kids eat?

 

 

 

 

Hi Denise,

 

You have some good questions. My six-year-old son also goes through periods

where he seems famished, alternating with periods in which he (in my opinion)

barely eats. I figure when he's in some kind of growth spurt, he's hungrier than

when he isn't. Lately, he tells me he's hungry right before bedtime, but I'm not

sure if it's not some sort of tactic to delay going to bed. Still, I give him a

few grapes and sometimes a piece of toast with a little Earth Balance on it. He

did eat peanut butter for while but now is not so thrilled with it.

 

All foods have protein. It's a myth that plant foods don't contain any protein.

I've read extensively about this subject; being a vegan I often get questions of

this ilk: " But how does he get his protein? "

 

I have a great book at home that gives all the requirements for kids at various

ages. It's called " Raising Vegetarian Children, " by Joanne Stepanik and Vesanto

Melina. There are other great books out there as well that discuss this subject.

 

I a

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Guest guest]

I strongly recommend melatonin as well. My 8-year-old son has always had trouble

getting to sleep. Hours. He also has trouble focusing at school, and has been

diagnosed with ADHD (although he is inattentive only, no hyperactivity). His

doctor said that it is not uncommon for kids with ADHD to have sleep issues as

well. In any event, he suggested melatonin because it's not habit forming and

does not cause a problem with any other medications. The change in my son's

sleep is astounding. Instead of it taking him 2-3 hours to fall asleep, he's out

and sleeping soundly within 1/2 hour. He takes only 1 mg (started with less, but

1 mg works now).

 

 

 

Karen

 

 

-

youhavehowmany

 

Wednesday, April 28, 2010 8:26:21 AM GMT -05:00 US/Canada Eastern

Re: Energy sleep n focus

 

 

 

 

 

 

You could try melatonin and 5HTP. Those supplements help a lot of people. The

other option, if you're not doing it now, is homeschooling! Rather than fight

her natural sleep cycles, you could homeschool, and not have to worry about a

daily fight to drag her out of bed at 6 or 7AM. She could get up and go to bed

when her body says to, and you can do lessons when she wakes up, no matter what

time that is. That's what we do, and it works great! Marilyn

 

 

lisa castillo < lisarcastillo >

 

Tue, Apr 27, 2010 10:15 pm

Energy sleep n focus

 

Hi all,

my daughter sierra, 8 yrs old, has sooo much energy to the point she can run on

very little sleep. I put her to bed at 9, and most nights she doesnt fall asleep

til 12 or after. Shes up 630 am to start the next day. She has trouble focusing

at school which im sure the sleep is part in that, but even on nights she is

getting sleep, the focusing isnt there. Ive tried the organic sleepytime tea,

massages, even laying in bed with her and nothing is working. Shes a heathy

eater and ive cut sugars even tho she doesnt have many to begin with. Im not

sure what else to do to get her on track. Any suggestions? Please n thx u !!

 

Tuesday, April 27, 2010 8:26:21 pm

 

" library.momma " < library.momma >

Re: How much protein do your kids eat?

 

Hi Denise,

 

You have some good questions. My six-year-old son also goes through periods

where he seems famished, alternating with periods in which he (in my opinion)

barely eats. I figure when he's in some kind of growth spurt, he's hungrier than

when he isn't. Lately, he tells me he's hungry right before bedtime, but I'm not

sure if it's not some sort of tactic to delay going to bed. Still, I give him a

few grapes and sometimes a piece of toast with a little Earth Balance on it. He

did eat peanut butter for while but now is not so thrilled with it.

 

All foods have protein. It's a myth that plant foods don't contain any protein.

I've read extensively about this subject; being a vegan I often get questions of

this ilk: " But how does he get his protein? "

 

I have a great book at home that gives all the requirements for kids at various

ages. It's called " Raising Vegetarian Children, " by Joanne Stepanik and Vesanto

Melina. There are other great books out there as well that discuss this subject.

 

I a

 

 

[Guest guest]

Hi Lisa,

Our son seldom sleeps enough, but by that I mean he sleeps 9 or 10 hours

rather than his optimal 11. :-) So, our situation is not as dire as

yours, but here are things that have worked for us: chamomile iced tea

at dinner for everyone (it makes him more tired and me more calm about

the fact that he STILL isn't asleep) :-); or alternatively, chamomilia

homeopathic tabs or Rescue Remedy gummy pastilles for everyone; family

walks/jogs before or after dinner to get rid of any extra pent up

energy; totally exhausting him during the day (hike, long walk around

our local parks or zoo or beach, etc.); a very filling, warm dinner (a

pasta, bean, veggie stew with warm bread or rice - I keep thinking

oatmeal with soy milk would be a good choice, too, but keep forgetting

that idea in the throws of dinner and evening chaos); long, warm bath

with lavender oil or shampoo; lots of bedtime stories (he will sometimes

fall asleep after several stories); and we often use tv (I know, the

horrors of it all), but I put on something benign and boring like the

weather channel or a home and gardens kind of show; oh and we co-sleep,

so he sleeps better if I lay with him while he falls asleep.

 

Other than that, I'd say a rest time in the afternoon, like quietly

reading books or something, if she won't nap, might help her body at

least rest, or settle the adrenaline that they must live off of when

they're not sleeping enough. :-) Good luck! Oh, one other thought -

you could look into multi-vitamins and probiotics, just to be sure her

body is getting all it needs and she can rest better. A friend of ours

learned in medical school that if you can't eat enough, sleep more, and

if you can't sleep enough, eat more - to feed the body somehow. So they

ate more during finals and busy internships, etc. I do notice that our

son eats a lot more often than other kids - likely linked to that. You

could offer more snacks, and see if that helps her in the daytime.

 

Best of luck. If it makes you feel better, we are in the midst of a

melt-down right now due to not enough sleep last night. :-) Oh yeah,

and try deep breaths for everyone. :-)

Lorraine

 

 

On

Behalf Of lisa castillo

Tuesday, April 27, 2010 7:15 PM

 

Energy sleep n focus

 

 

Hi all,

my daughter sierra, 8 yrs old, has sooo much energy to the point she can

run on very little sleep. I put her to bed at 9, and most nights she

doesnt fall asleep til 12 or after. Shes up 630 am to start the next

day. She has trouble focusing at school which im sure the sleep is part

in that, but even on nights she is getting sleep, the focusing isnt

there. Ive tried the organic sleepytime tea, massages, even laying in

bed with her and nothing is working. Shes a heathy eater and ive cut

sugars even tho she doesnt have many to begin with. Im not sure what

else to do to get her on track. Any suggestions? Please n thx u !!

 

Tuesday, April 27, 2010 8:26:21 pm

@gro <%40> ups.com

" library.momma " <library.momma@ <library.momma%40>

>

Re: How much protein do your kids eat?

 

 

 

 

Hi Denise,

 

You have some good questions. My six-year-old son also goes through

periods where he seems famished, alternating with periods in which he

(in my opinion) barely eats. I figure when he's in some kind of growth

spurt, he's hungrier than when he isn't. Lately, he tells me he's hungry

right before bedtime, but I'm not sure if it's not some sort of tactic

to delay going to bed. Still, I give him a few grapes and sometimes a

piece of toast with a little Earth Balance on it. He did eat peanut

butter for while but now is not so thrilled with it.

 

All foods have protein. It's a myth that plant foods don't contain any

protein. I've read extensively about this subject; being a vegan I often

get questions of this ilk: " But how does he get his protein? "

 

I have a great book at home that gives all the requirements for kids at

various ages. It's called " Raising Vegetarian Children, " by Joanne

Stepanik and Vesanto Melina. There are other great books out there as

well that discuss this subject.

 

I a

 

 

 

 

[Guest guest]

I would try 5HTP first before meletonin. Another posting indicated the safety of

meletonin. This is not a homeopathic medicine. It does have side effects for

some people. When I took it, it altered the cycle of my period. It does work

with many people. And for some, it does not work at all.

I'd avoid caffeine after 6, this includes chocolate.

A great way to help her would be to do a ginger compress on her low back, over

her adrenal glands. This is super easy, It also helps to make the body more

alkaline. Simply boil a pot of water, grate about a quater size chunk of ginger

into the water and turn it off. Put a hand towel or washcloth into the water,

and let set for 10 mins. Wring it out, and cool it a bit to the temp where it is

comfortable on her skin. It should be as warm as she can stand it. While your

child is on their stomach, place the towel on the low back and cover with

plastic bag and a towel. Wait till it cools; then remove.

Hope this helps.

Laura M

 

 

 

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