If I Were a Child… Why Do I Cause So Much Trouble When I’m Tired and It’s Bedtime?

If I Were a Child… Why Do I Cause So Much Trouble When I’m Tired and It’s Bedtime?

I’ve been learning, listening, sharing, waiting my turn, being told “no,” trying to be brave, kind, quiet, clever, and patient. That takes a lot of energy when you’re small.

By Dr. Will — Sat Aug 23 2025

If I were a child, I wouldn’t mean to cause trouble at bedtime. I wouldn’t be trying to be naughty, difficult, or annoying. I’d just be tired , and not in the way grown-ups feel tired. When I’m tired, my body and my brain don’t work the same way anymore. My brain is running out of fuel By bedtime, my day has been huge . I’ve been learning, listening, sharing, waiting my turn, being told “no,” trying to be brave, kind, quiet, clever, and patient. That takes a lot of energy when you’re small. So when my brain gets tired, it loses its brakes. That’s when: I can’t stop talking I can’t stop moving

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