Ok, guys, tell me what you think about this.

Jonas is starting preschool in a month (woooot!). He will be attending four afternoons a week. I chose afternoons because he has speech two mornings a week, and I didn’t want them to overlap. Plus, I’m a better mother in the mornings. The only trouble with this is that he still needs a nap a few days a week or he gets wired and can’t focus and will get nothing out of class and be a bother to his teachers. I know this because we have afternoon church right now (1-4 Somebody shoot me, please). Jonas is hating church right now, and is having behavior issues, and I know most of this stems from him being over tired.

Our family has been on more of a late night schedule for awhile because Chris usually works swing shifts and has to sleep in. The kids are noisy in the morning, and if they go to bed really early, then the days Chris has off, they don’t see each other much. Now, this is a very loosely designed schedule, because Jonas has always defied every schedule I’ve ever attempted to get him on. I really do think that school is going to force hm to adapt, whether he likes it or not, and Chris’ schedule is pretty much going to have to be ignored.

Me, on the other hand, I’d be much happier if left to my natural devices and allowed to be a morning person who either got up at five and went to bed at seven pm, or better yet, got up at five, had a three hour mid day nap and then stayed up until eleven- but that’s dreaming.

So, now that I’ve bored you all, if I tried making my children get up at six (consistently, they love to get up at six on days when I’ve gone to bed at one the night before), and then got them to nap from 11:00-12:00 and then to bed at seven, do you think that could fix the sleep deprivation issue at church and school? Do I even stand a chance here? Is attempting a change even worth the effort? I optimistically envision favorable results, then the pessimistic part of me (you know, that other 90% of Lou) laughs in my face and says, enjoy the ride, sista, cause it’s gonna be wild.

Anyway, anyone ever try this? Anyone have and suggestions about getting a non conformist child to adhere to a schedule? Does anyone have any advice aside from “hire a sitter” or “give them drugs”? I can’t do drugs- my kids get wired on Benedryl and codeine. Do you have any idea how consummately unfair that is? Have you ever had a child with pneumonia completely wired? Ugh. I digress- give me sleep schedule advice please! I want good little angel children who never peep in church and don’t rip the curtains off the walls when they get tired, wired and curious! Tell me how, oh wise internet!