One of the biggest conflicts between parents and children is BEDTIME.
Parents want kids to lie down and go to sleep as quickly as possible.
Kids argue they’re not tired and want to stay up, or at least spend more time with said parent they’re arguing with.
Human Design can’t fix everything, but it can give insight and encouragement. Knowing your child’s Human Design Type can give you clues as to what would help them with the bedtime routine. Specifically, knowing whether or not they have a Defined Sacral Center gives much insight.
If you’ll recall, there are 5 Human Design Types, and only 2 have a Defined Sacral Center, the center for work force and life force energy. When the Sacral is Defined in a chart, it tells you that the individual has consistent, sustained access to this work force, life force energy. These 2 Types are Generators (Alchemists in Quantum Human Design) and Manifesting Generators (Time Benders in QHD) and they comprise 70% of the population.
The 3 Types who have an Open Sacral Center with inconsistent access to work force and life force energy are:
Manifestors (Initiators in QHD) who comprise 9% of the population
Projectors (Orchestrators in QHD) who comprise 20% of the population
Reflectors (Calibrators in QHD) who comprise 1% of the population
One major difference between people who have Defined Sacral centers and those who have Open Sacral centers is the amount of energy they have access to and how long they can access it.
Generators and Manifesting Generators have lots of energy and it lasts for a long time. These people as children will be able to play and run for a long time, and they don’t wear out very quickly (some parents feel as though these kids never wear out).
Manifestors, Projectors and Reflectors, on the other hand, may play hard - especially if they’re around Generators and Manifesting Generators - but will wear out or even get overtired before a Generator or Manifesting Generator will.
The Defined Sacral Center and Bedtime
A Sacral Center that’s Defined is designed to run and run all day long. At the end of the day these beings are designed to fall into bed exhausted, as they’ve been expending energy all day.
If you want your child with a Defined Sacral center to cooperate with a regular bedtime routine they will need:
lots of access to big motor activities during the day
probably more motor activity than you think they need
a minimum of screen time (because that keeps their mind occupied, but their body sedentary)
One note about Manifesting Generators - make sure they’re able to get to a special project before bed if they’ve been looking forward to it. If they feel they’ve missed something important to them they’ll resist bedtime even if their body is tired. They’ll get a second wind and won’t feel tired anymore.
A Generator or Manifesting Generator who is getting the activity they need will fall asleep quickly, all other things being equal.
The Open Sacral Center and Bedtime
For those with an Open Sacral Center bedtime will look very different. These beings will most likely not be exhausted at bedtime. That doesn’t mean they won’t ever be tired. It just means they won’t have the same level of exhaustion Generator types have on a regular basis.
How can you manage a child who insists they aren’t tired, especially when you believe them?
By reminding them that they’re not supposed to be tired at bedtime.
They aren’t going to bed because they’re tired. They’re going to bed so their bodies can prepare to be tired enough to sleep. People with Open Sacral centers need to lie down, release the energy they’ve picked up from others during the day, and wait for sleep to come. No hurry. Parents report that it takes about 30 minutes for these kids to fall asleep once they’re in a consistent routine.
Bedtime and lights out can be a restful, relaxing time for them. While they’re waiting for sleep, they can:
listen to an audio book
listen to a guided meditation for children
listen to soothing music
Older children can read to themselves. It’s best not to have them use any blue light emitting screens at bedtime as this light counteracts the body’s ability to fall asleep.
Just because they’re in bed doesn’t mean they have to sleep immediately. By providing the optimal bedtime experience for these children with Open Sacral centers you can support them in getting the rest they need. You won’t have unreasonable expectations for them, and they won’t have unreasonable expectations for themselves.
Now, are there other reasons your child of any age resists bedtime?
Of course!
But supporting them in their Human Design Type’s needs is a good place to start.