What. Is. Going. On?
I don’t know if there is a full moon, something in retrograde, or something strange in the air… but things have been crazy the last week or so.
Back when Jack was younger, it would have been called a ‘sleep regression’.
For those uninitiated: a sleep regression is when a formerly perfect sleeper studently starts waking up in the middle of the night or screaming through regularly scheduled naptimes. It typically happens at 3 months, 6 months, 9 months, etc. It’s like your baby is having a super growth spurt, teething or reaching a new milestone that is sucking all their energy and good behavior.
Well, apparently Jack is having a 9-year, 8-month sleep regression.
Within the past week or two, he’s acted up at before/after care and I’ve dealt with random acts of attitude at home. He’s moody. He’s extra hungry. And yesterday I got both a note from his after-care program AND a separate note from his angel of a 4th grade teacher about his behavior.
They both state that this is out-of-the-ordinary behavior for Jack. They both stress that he’s a good kid with a great attitude, but sometimes we all need little reminders to keep on track.
This is not the first time this has happened. I feel like once or twice a year, Jack gets a little itchy in his skin… a little big for his britches. A little bratty. We get a couple notes. We get a bunch of attitude.
And then, we take away privileges like video games and unrestricted television time for a bit.
And magically, his attitude improves and the ‘sleep regression’ passes. Hmm… perhaps instead of sleep regression, it’s behavior regression.
But when he’s in the thick of it. Inevitably I turn it back around on myself. I think of all the ways I’m failing at being a good mom. I wonder what I DID to make this happen. I think of all the things I should do different. I worry and worry and worry some more.
And I long for that moment that will certainly come in a week or so when I realize that he has suddenly grown out of all his pants again and it was just another growth spurt.