Years ago, when I was still a teenager, I used to babysit for a couple of rambunctious little brothers. The younger one was really a very happy, humorous and playful little guy but every time he woke up from a nap or when he woke up in the morning, he would wake up crying. It would take him a good half hour of sitting on someone’s lap and being crabby and tearful before he would suddenly get himself fully awake, grin, climb down off the lap and go off to play or eat. Since then, I have met other children who seemed to wake up crying or crabby and have talked to a few parents who were perplexed by it…
I do not know why ordinarily happy children wake up crying and crabby—I imagine it has something to do with making the transition from sleep to awake. There are some of us who need a little time and space to make transitions anyway. It could also be something physical (a leg that has “fallen asleep,” a headache, wetness, etc.) A child who is a very hard sleeper may find that coming to a fully awake state is disconcerting. Letting a child wake up at his own pace and having a quiet, mellow space in which to do it would be optimal, but that isn’t always possible in a busy, bustling family.
While we may try to make accommodations and adjustments when our child is very young, the ultimate goal should be to help her develop her own self-management tools for waking up. Eventually, she will be able to articulate why waking up is such a trial and we can help her find ways to transition and adjust on her own. Showing sensitivity and understanding and having reasonable compassion for the fact that waking up is tough can be our role as parents too.
Also: Start the Day Right
Wake Up Me! and Sleepy Me! By Marni McGee