Staying Awake as a Parent on Duty After a Bad Insomnia Night

I learned a long time ago that when I have trouble sleeping at night, I absolutely must have some form of caffeine the following day to jolt my system into functioning. More often than not, this search for a physical and mental power surge happens after I shower in the morning before I begin chasing my toddler around as she plays.

My caffeine of choice

Over the past few years, my caffeine of choice has been in the form of an energy drink – one that tastes like lemonade, can be bought in bulk, stored in the fridge, and brings about 180 mg of caffeine (equivalent to that of a small cup of coffee) in 16 ounces of deliciousness. The beverage is called Monster Rehab Lemonade and has been my friend and in my trusty insomnia survival kit for as long as I can remember.

But what about the days when that's not enough to keep me going? When I'm so tired that I struggle to think clearly or to keep my eyes open? When my daughter doesn't want to sit still on the couch, but I desperately need the reprieve of a 30-minute nap?

What I need is not what I want

Then, I reach for energy drink number 2. This is usually at least a few hours after consuming the first one, and I grab it out of sheer need, not want. While it tastes fine, and I don't mind drinking a second can, I know that I am doing it to trick my mind into staying awake, into being awake, into functioning like an on-duty parent must.

I drink this one much quicker than I did the one early in the morning, and I usually follow it with a silent prayer to the energy beings that this will boost me and keep me coasting until after my toddler goes to bed.

Sometimes 2 energy drinks are not enough

This is the frustrating part. Sometimes, 2 energy drinks are still not enough. With toddlers, there's no break. There's no resting period, especially during year 2 of the pandemic, which has meant we don't go many places, see many people, or have childcare outside of the home. So, what happens when 32 ounces of Monster Rehab Lemonade hasn't fixed the problems insomnia left behind?

Of we go to Starbucks!

My toddler and I get in the car and go on an adventure. We drive 8 minutes to our local Starbucks, and in the drive-through, I order a beverage that has at least 2 shots of espresso and some sort of flavoring to keep it interesting. I also order a sweet treat for my daughter, something that makes her squeal in delight as I pass it back to her in her car seat.

We sit in the parking lot, her digging into her coffee cake or cake pop or scone, me sipping my latte or macchiato as fast as the temperature will allow me, us both listening to some soft music on the radio.

An espresso-size jolt saves the day

We drive around for a bit afterward, usually near a forest preserve or somewhere where she can see trees or trucks or anything interesting from her car seat, and then we return home. With an espresso-size jolt, I'm usually more awake, more functional, and less crabby about the amount of time remaining until my daughter goes to bed, thus giving us a chance for more quality time and more productive play before dinner, bath, and sleep.

Did your relationship with caffeine change after you became a parent? Does my story sound like a day in your life? I'd love to hear your thoughts below.