Insomnia and night wandering are common for kids from hard places. Some adult adoptees describe getting up in the night feeling like something was lost or missing, and wandering around their home looking for it. In addition, many children with Reactive Attachment Disorder (RAD) self-harm, harm family members or pets, do damage to property, or steal during the night. For that reason, it is really important to limit what our kids have access to when they are night wandering. In our home, fire starters, sharps, chemicals, art supplies, messy items (Play Doh, gum, etc.), breakables, and valuables are locked up at night. All exterior doors (front, back, garage) have high latches and alarms. Other family members’ rooms are locked at night, too. I check all of the locks and alarms when Kelley goes to bed at night.
Sleep hygiene is critical for kids from hard places! In our home, we have no TV or electronics after dinner. When we break this rule, it consistently results in night waking and wandering. By dinner time, all the blinds and curtains are closed, the lights are dimmed. Sometimes we play relaxing music or ocean sounds softly during dinner. After dinner, it’s calm-down time at our house. Books, puzzles, homework, baths, and getting ready for bed are done as calmly and quietly as possible.
This is an unconventional intervention we came up with after 6 weeks of Kelley waking 4-5 times every night. We made her room the most pleasant place to be at night, and coming out of her room less desirable. Her light switch turns on soft twinkle lights (not too bright for sleep), and looks cozy.
The rest of the house is pitch dark (room darkening shades and closed doors). For over a year, we removed all the light bulbs in the upstairs hall, removed the light bulbs in her bathroom at night (we would screw in just one bulb during the day), and had no light except her bedroom’s twinkle lights and a bathroom nightlight.
The first couple of nights, we would hear her door open, the light switch flip several times, and then her door close. After a couple nights, she would stay in her room. Within less than a week, her sleep cycle reset and she was sleeping all night. I know it sounds crazy, but it worked for us!
The Village and The Vineyard 