It's time for a Mom Confession -- because, let's face it, we're real mothers and sometimes it doesn't work the way the parenting books say it should.
This Week's Confession:
I've given my kid Benedryl to ensure an early bedtime because I just couldn't take it anymore. I needed sleep but I've only done it once or twice and only a small amount. — anonymous
We all have secrets -- so thanks to this brave mom for sharing her honest thoughts, and thank you for keeping this conversation non-judgmental!
Do you have a Mom Confession you want to share? PM me. We can share your confession with your CafeMom screenname or anonymously.
Past Confessions:
My Kids Sleep Alone in the Car
I'm Afraid My Husband is Going to Die
I Don't Like Being a Stay-at-Home Mom
I Have a Family, But I'm Lonely
I Lie and Say I'm "Working" to Avoid Playing
I Let My Son Fall Asleep to DVDs
I Don't Shield My Kids' Eyes from Nudity
I Use Housecleaning to Avoid Playing With My Kids
I Don't Set Up Play Dates for My Kids
I Wish I Had a Fulfilling Career Outside the Home
I Use My Kid's Flushable Toilet Wipes
I'm Going to Disney Without My Children
I Hate Reading Children's Books
I Let My Toddler Play Outside Alone
I Turn My Kids Over to A Mom I Just Met
My Toddler Wears Crude T-Shirts
I Let My Toddlers Climb Play Equipment Unassisted
My Kids Go to Sleep After Midnight
I Let My Toddlers Go Naked in Public
I Paid $22 for My Son's Haircut
My Toddlers Eat Pizza for Breakfast
I Leave My Toddler Alone in the Bath
Our Children Aren't Invited to Our Wedding
I'm on Vacation, But My Kid Is Still Going to Day Care
This Hot Dad Wants to Do Your Ironing
This Hot Dad Wants to Cook You Dinner
This Hot Dad Cooks AND Does the Dishes
Kanye West is Gay?! 
Comments 66
Hell no, that is NOT okay.
Now, if they NEED medication because they're sick or seriously injured and need sleep to get better, then the fact that it can make them go to sleep is a benefit... but giving a medication NOT prescribed for sleeping aide to a CHILD who doesn't NEED it... that's just poor parenting, selfish, and stupid.
Wow..all I have to say is there are definitely better ways to get your child to sleep, if you take the time and make the effort. For instance:
http://www.mamaista.com/2009/10/29/the-time-it-is-a-changin/
Wow I think that is pretty unreal. I thought that was a joke not something people actually did. Why not try a lavender bath or reading books.
Kids react differently to medicine...from kid to kid and from each time they take it. We tried it once out of desperation. We had just spent the last 2 weeks in and out of the hospital watching my fil die and were driving 7 hours home with 3 kids (then 5 months, 18 months and 2 1/2). We were so exhausted (emotionally and physically) that we couldn't make the whole drive so we stopped at a motel just a couple hours out of town but by then the older 2 kids were bouncing off the walls.
We tried the Benadryl and it was a big mistake, lol. Indstead of making them drowsy it had the opposite effect and they were wired for hours until they crashed. Yeah, we never tried it again.
Now my son (who was 18 months at the time and is now 8) takes Benadryl for his allergies and I never know how it will effect him. Sometimes he gets so drowsy he can't do anything but lie on the couch and other times he's so wired he can't sit still for more then 2 seconds. It's a guessing game.
There are so many other natural options for both uses of benadryl ( to control allergies or to make you sleepy) I don't even know why people use it.
This is awful. When your child is diving into drugs in later years, it would be hypocritical to tell them not to with this parenting behavior.
Never done it and never would. However if this mom did it once in her life, I don't think it's the WORST thing in the world you could do as a parent.
aurorabunny Oct. 30, 2009 at 4:35 PM
I agree.
If it's only being done once and a while I don't have a problem with it AT ALL. Obviously I'm in the minority here but I don't think it's a big deal. Just like benadryl made one mom's kids even more hyper than they already are, a lavender bath or reading a book (or 10) doesn't put every kid to sleep. Rocking, walking, driving, singing, cuddling and CIO just aren't always the right answer for every mom or every child.
As a matter of fact, I gave my son benedryl less than an hour ago to help him fall asleep (and stay asleep).
We're all entitled to our own opinions, and mine just happens to be that this mom (who had the balls to "confess") isn't abusing her kids, but helping them to fall asleep SOMETIMES.
Sadly this is a practice still recommended by doctors. That makes people think it's ok ('the Dr said so so it must be alright"). It's really sad that some parents put their own comfort before the health of their kids. Isn't parenting supposed to be the other way around??? Nobody said that it was easy!!! I have a hard time giving my daughter PERSCRIPTION meds when she needs them nevermind a drug to put her out just because I need a break!
This is right up there with the "I leave my infants home alone so I can drive around with my friends". Morons.