This lack of sleep thing every parent keeps going on about. What is it?
I don’t mean to brag or rub salt into other parents’ tired and sleepless wounds but really we have never experienced it. Dani has always been a great sleeper. I think I could keep my socks on to count the number of nights he has disturbed us. Even now he will sleep 10 hours solidly. He is getting a little the wiser however and talking about staying up later. But by 9pm he is just knackered. Zonked out.
Once he is out for the count it is hard to wake him for school in the morning. Even over 10 hours later.
His Mentor…
It is no coincidence he is such a good sleeper. His auntie Natalia is the sleep master. If it were an Olympic event she would sleep for Spain (1st team!). She has proven pedigree. Back in 1995 she was sharing a room with Dani’s mum at Dani’s grandmother’s house. There was an attempt to kill the then president, José Aznar, by the Basque separatist group ETA. At just past 8am on the morning of 19th April a large bomb exploded less than 500 metres from the house where the sisters were sleeping. Many people were already awake at that time but those that weren’t were all rudely awakened by that blast. Everyone in the area heard it. All except Dani’s auntie Natalia that is.
Genetic?
So you see it is in his genes. Dani can also sleep for Spain (Under-21s though) and is destined to become the next sleep master in his family. If he is not disturbed (like in the morning for school) he will easily sleep 12 hours. Blimey! That’s like a dog!
Good for him say I. Personally I don’t seem to need so much sleep. Most of the time I can manage quite well with only 6 hours a night. With maybe the odd lie-in every week or so.
For all the parents out there who are suffering from sleep deprivation, trust me, I do not want to gloat. We are very lucky and we know that. Incredibly lucky. It’s just that when I read things about the downsides of parenting this lack of sleep thing is always mentioned. I just can’t help but crack a little smile. Sorry, is that gloating?
