How Understanding Your Kids’ Human Design Can Help At Bedtime

Show me a parent who doesn’t struggle with getting their kids to bed at some point. Whether it’s the 4 month old trying to perfect her roll overs, the 2 year old struggling to chill out after learning a new skill, or the 6 year old literally bouncing off the walls despite a day of playgrounds, swimming, beach, cycling and reading.

[By the way, these are just some of the very real and very personal experiences I’ve had with my girls. I’d like to say I’m seeing light at the end of the sleep tunnel now (they’re 3 and 6), but they do love to throw the occasional curveball 🙂 ]

But there are some areas of our kids’ Human Design that can help to ease some of these bedtime battles.

Energy types offer us clues about rest and sleep

Generators and Manifesting Generators

As a really basic starting point, the thing to remember about generators and MGs (I am a 1/3 sacral generator so I am speaking from experience here!) is that it’s vital we dispel ALL of our energy before we can even think about sleeping each day. If we don’t, falling asleep will be almost impossible.

My mum is a projector and I remember she would often go to bed before me when I was a child because she just couldn’t handle any more ‘energy’ after a certain time of the day. My dad, also a generator, would stay up with me, drawing or just chatting and reading until I naturally felt tired. Of course, we didn’t know about Human Design back then but it’s interesting to look back and realise why certain things were that way.

If you have multiple generators or MGs in the same family, they will also feed off each other’s energy so even if one is actually feeling a bit tired, the other one will potentially amp them up a little.

• Come up with fun and high energy activities for them before bed – scavenger hunt (to tidy their toys away), an outdoor walk / bike around the block if weather permits, a puzzle, Rubik’s cube, yoga, jogging on the spot etc – anything that will help them to dispel their energy (in this sense energy is not just physical – their brains might also be very active so think of activities that will meet those needs too – quizzes, puzzles, brain teaser activities etc.). Of course these are age dependent so adapt accordingly.
• Prepare for an extra long reading session with them and where possible release the pressure on yourself to have them asleep by a certain time. If your kids are at a reading age, reserve some favourites that are for bedtime only.
• Ensure the bedtime routine is just that – a routine – that they know what is going to happen next each night – i.e. physical activity -> bath/shower -> pjs -> stories etc. or whatever works for your household.
• If possible have separate rooms to calm their energy and attention a little (if they are amping each other up)
• Generators and MGs love responding to things so give them Y/N, this/that definitive questions to help them live in their design of ‘satisfaction’ – ask them what they would like to do before bedtime (you might be surprised by their insights!)

Projectors, Reflectors and Manifestors

I don’t normally combine these three types but for bedtime discussions I will, because A, they are all non-sacral beings, and B, I parent one reflector and a projector so this comes from experience.

Totally different to other types when it comes to sleep, the goal is to get your mini projectors, reflectors and manifestors to wind down waaaay before any tired signs kick in (I know, this goes against most baby sleep advice to wait for tired signs but hear me out)…

Projectors and reflectors take on so much energy throughout their day that they need to detach from it all before they can let their bodies rest. They borrow, amplify, reflect and process so many emotions, feelings, ideas and opinions that they are still on an energy high until those external simuli are no longer there. Only then can they decompress and start to allow their bodies and their minds to wind down. Leave it too long and you have very unhappy and grumpy little monsters to deal with.

Manifestor kids living by their design have probably had a day full of leading, forging new paths and coming up with ideas, so they are tired – but also don’t like being told what to do, plus they find it difficult to know when they’ve had enough – the trifecta of bedtime battles! So it’s important for them to be in the right setting (i.e. the bedroom) and then they can decide how best they can relax into sleep. Remember, manifestors are also non-sacral beings but their trail-blazing energy often looks like they are, so will crash and burn fast if sleep is not facilitated by you, the parent, at least in some way. Sometimes a mini manifestor will keep going and going until they reach a point of no return – this is when bedtime dramas can really show up.

Guidance for bedtime with Projectors, Reflectors and Manifestors

• Create your own routine to start your bedtime wind down, including relaxing music, essential oils, no screens, books, bath/shower and pjs etc. Aim to be in the bedroom all ready for bed so your little one can let their bodies ease into rest.
• If possible, have them in seperate rooms (especially if they have a Generator or MG sibling). Even sleeping next to energy beings can be tiring and draining for non-energy types like projectors, reflectors and manifestors
• Depending on age, let them set some of their own rituals to wind down. We do nightly gratitude (just by asking ‘what was your favourite part of the day? etc.) and affirmations they love to say (“I am loved, I am enough”) but ask your kiddos what they would like their bedtime to look like – you might be surprised with their ideas!

Also, depending on your energy type as the parent / caregiver, this could also be hampering your bedtime routine so be mindful of this.

And one final point – kids will be kids so remember that like anything in Human Design, take what works, and leave what doesn’t.

Ready to add Human Design to your parenting toolkit?