WISDOM FROM THE GRANDMOTHERS: HEALTHY SLEEP

The “Wisdom” series presents observations spoken by experienced grandmothers that should be heard by all mothers.

BABIES AND BEDTIMES

While I was visiting a friend in her mid-70’s who raised four children and has nine grandchildren, she recounted an incident from the previous evening.  While out at dinner with her husband they were distracted by a family nearby.  The crying baby and fussy toddler jostled my friends’ focus away from reading menus.  Soon, the family stood up and left the restaurant with their unhappy children.  My friend recounted the story in a very matter-of-fact voice, “I saw these fussy children after 8:00 at night, and I turned to [my husband] and said “Those children ought to be home in bed!  It is PAST their bedtime!”  She proceeded to explain the routine of putting her babies to sleep.  She proudly described  how careful she was to put them down in a playpen for naps at about the same time every day.  “This generation,” she mused while shaking her head “wants to continue doing everything they did before they had a baby.”