11 Plus Exams Forum

DD always struggled to sleep before something exciting (Christmas/holidays etc!) and I have an inkling she might be the same before the 11+. I really want her to try to get a decent amount of sleep. Any good tips for a calm evening and restful night!?

Have a large drink yourself. I slept right through last night.

mystery wrote:Have a large drink yourself. I slept right through last night.

Lol! On a similar lighthearted vein, I was about to say phenargan!

Seriously though, if she has a tendency to be a little wakeful the night before big events it is unrealistic to think there is anything that will stop that before the 11+. Obviously follow all the basics, relax a while, warm bath, calm story etc etc, but then I just wouldn't add to the stress by worrying about it. The 11+ is generally associated with a little nervous excitement! Believe me, she will be shored up by adrenaline on the day. And actually, the kind of laughing excitement you get when you and all your mates are 'in it together' kind of camaraderie. Honestly, lack of sleep won't be an issue until the meltdown you must expect at 4pm that afternoon, when you ask her to put her late in the dishwasher!

Nothing you can do to force it. Relaxing evening, watcha film, warm bath not too close to bedtimne (we fall asleep as the body cools down, so if you are too hot you will struggle to sleep), warm milky drink? all the usual stuff really. Maybe a good walk as it's a lovely day.

We have the opposite problem, DD will not get a brilliantly early night as she has her first Guides of the new term on Friday finishing at 8.30pm. I could keep her at home but she knows that some of her friends are starting and she will want to be there as support but she will also hate seeing me go out (I am the leader) and leaving her at home.

But if last term is anything to go by she was always exhausted by the end of the meeting, which meant I had to deal with grumpy as I packed away but then collapsed in bed and straight to sleep. So maybe tiring out with some physical activity will help.

Perhaps she could come to the first part of the Guides. Do you have any friends of family who could come and get her half way through and take her home for an early night? DG

I made sure my D's went for a long walk, and didn't go to bed too early until he was very tired. Forcing them to go to bed too early means they will stay awake even late, best to allow them to read until they are tired.

And don't forget the correct nutrition (anyone remember that thread from last year?). No pasta, apparently. Also apologies to the original author of the the advice to make sure that one's DC had 'one small potato', but DS2 nearly killed himself laughing at that one.

Might have been what helped him to to get to sleep, though - the good laugh, I mean. I'm pretty certain that if he had potatoes there would have been more than one of them on his plate and all completely the wrong size .

I remember that thread....there was some really odd food talked about...I cannot remember the food stuffs, but deffo Holland and Barrett type.

Son number three had veg and soya mince cottage pie last night Greek yoghurt that had run to its sell by date and needed eating and an apple doughnut for pud. Cottage pie because I have an abundance of courgettes to hide. (Hee hee...auto correct changed that to cigarettes, glad I spotted it before scary.)

Wasn't it some kind of beans, or peculiar dried fruit for snacking on.....must have a search, I cannot remember the ladies name though. Hope her girly is settled at Lord Bills now, I bet she is happy as Larry.

Reading skellig with him at the monent, it's brilliant, so we both look forward to bed time. Annoyingly I had to do the rugby run last night, so dh got to read, which means I have to catch up...son number three wants to tell me what hapoened, but I will sneakily read it too.

My daughter did 3 hours of taekwondo on the Friday night before the exam, slept like a baby.