November 19, 2016
We were in the midst of a Target shopping trip, though the specifics of our list are lost to memory. What I vividly recall is our toddler, Lily, shrieking at the top of her lungs, her golden hair in messy pigtails, donning a gray shirt emblazoned with a rainbow, a pacifier wedged in her mouth and another clutched in her tiny fist.
My partner, Sarah, was occupied in a different aisle with our older kids, Noah and Mia, while I navigated the store with a clearly disgruntled two-year-old, her eyes wet with frustration and a runny nose adding to the scene. She had been awake since 3 a.m. solely to indulge in back-to-back episodes of her beloved cartoons. Now, at 3 p.m., both of us were exhausted, but her level of distress was far greater than mine. We had hoped that the car ride would lull her to sleep, but that was wishful thinking.
This chaos was the result of her frequent nighttime awakenings. We attempted to eliminate her naps, thinking that might help, but it only seemed to disrupt her sleep schedule further. She had entered a state of extreme fatigue, somewhere beyond just being tired—a realm I can only describe as a frenzied, red-eyed state where sleep eludes her. And now, every shopper at Target bore witness to our plight.
This is the reality of parenting an overtired child: it manifests as inexplicable screaming, demands for snacks that lead to meltdowns over broken crackers, and a child who collapses onto the floor, wailing for seemingly no reason. At that moment, I felt like the only solution would be an exorcism, but even that would likely prove ineffective against a child in this state.
For those who do not have children, think of an overtired child as being at an 11 on a scale of fatigue, where 0 indicates fully rested and 10 signifies tiredness. It’s a strange, uncharted territory that defies both scientific and supernatural explanation. The only remedy is sleep, yet once a child slips into the depths of overtiredness, it can take an eternity to calm them down.
I attempted to soothe Lily by lifting her from the cart, but she retaliated with kicks. I set her down to walk, and she flopped to the floor. I even offered her candy, but she rejected that too. Nothing seemed to work.
As the commotion escalated, I noticed the stares from other shoppers—those disapproving glances that all parents know too well. It’s the judgmental scrutiny from those without children, who can’t fathom why a parent can’t control one small toddler. It’s infuriating, but I was too preoccupied to respond; my hands were full, and those uninterested in understanding often refuse to listen.
I shifted to a quieter section of the store, contemplating a little revenge on my future self. I envisioned the day I could embarrass my kids, like writing “FART” on the backseat of my son’s first car or sneaking up on my daughter while she’s in the pantry. In the midst of Lily’s tantrum, the thought of waking her at 3 a.m. in the future and relishing in her grumpy demeanor made me chuckle, though I knew I wouldn’t actually follow through.
Eventually, I reunited with Sarah and the older kids in the boys’ clothing section. Sarah was selecting new shirts for Noah when Lily reached out to her mother. The moment Sarah scooped her up, Lily fell silent, burying her face into Sarah’s shoulder and wrapping her legs around her waist, instantly asleep as if her mother possessed some magical calming power.
“What just happened?” I questioned in disbelief.
“She just needed Mommy,” Sarah replied with a shrug. In that instant, I transitioned from feeling exhausted and frustrated to feeling a twinge of jealousy. It’s a well-known fact among parents that mothers seem to have an innate ability to soothe children, and in that moment, I fully understood.
As we drove home, Lily peacefully asleep, I contemplated the following day. I hoped she would return to her regular sleep schedule, but deep down, I knew this exhausting cycle would likely repeat. It’s simply one of the many challenging aspects of parenting—an undeniably frustrating reality.
In case you’re interested in other topics related to parenting, you might find this resource on home insemination informative, as well as this guide by March of Dimes on pregnancy for further insights.
Summary
Parenting an overtired child is a unique challenge characterized by meltdowns, exhaustion, and the judgmental stares of onlookers. The struggle is real, and while sleep is the only cure, the journey is filled with moments of frustration and a touch of humor. Ultimately, it’s all part of the parenthood experience.
Keyphrase: overtired child behavior
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