I don't like going to bed. I'm having so much fun being awake!
If I go to sleep, I have to rest and slow down. I can't play when I'm sleeping. My mind wants to stay awake, think, learn, and play. I don't want to miss anything! When I wake up, I get to start all over again. If I wake up at 9 o'clock and go to bed at 9 o'clock, I'm awake for 12 hours.
Did you know that your mind is always thinking and being awake? When we go to sleep, our mind doesn't want to stop. It keeps thinking, even when we start dreaming. In dreamland, everything is colorful and wacky, with no time or space. But when we’re awake, we can use all your five senses. Being awake feels like we have control.
What does an hour feel like? If I'm sitting in the car without a movie, an hour feels very long because there's nothing exciting to do. If I'm not using my body or playing with my toys or friends, time goes so slowly. Sitting in the car looking out the window is boring, and my mind starts to complain to my body.
I love moving around. When I'm in the car, I'm stuck in my seatbelt. I get cranky and frustrated. Mommy and Daddy tell me to take deep breaths to relax, but I just want to watch a movie or play a game. I can't wait to get where we're going! Daddy said it would take two hours, and that feels so long.
Thinking about being awake for 12 hours seems like forever. By the time it's bedtime, a lot of time has passed since I woke up. But why do I have to go to bed anyway?
I get tired. When I'm tired, I feel weak and cranky. If I rest for a moment, I'll feel better. But Daddy put a soft blanket over me while I was on the sofa, and I was watching a boring show about planets. I thought I'd just close my eyes for a minute.
Wow! The last thing I remember was being bored on the sofa. I closed my eyes for a minute, and when I opened them, I was in my bed, and it was morning! How did that happen? I must have been sleeping for just a minute. It felt so quick and fast.
Going to sleep isn't bad at all. It only takes a few minutes after I close my eyes, and then it's light outside again. I feel refreshed and ready to start a new day. Now, I see the difference between play and rest, being awake and sleeping. Both are necessary and helpful to me. I might still get a little angry when they tell me it's bedtime, but not too angry because I know that sleep is good for me.
