Amy Poehler: Night Owl No More!

Landov

Gone are the days of Saturday Night Live for mother-of-two Amy Poehler — and with them, late nights out with husband Will Arnett.

“I stopped being a vampire. Before kids, there wasn’t a night for 10 years that Will and I went to sleep before 2 a.m.,” the Parks and Recreation star, 39, tells PARADE.

“I’d sleep until noon or one and I thought 10:30 a.m. was early. Now I’m sound asleep by 11:30 every night and the kids wake us up around seven — on a good day.”

Mom to two boys — Archie William Emerson, 2½, and Abel James, 9 months — Poehler has quickly learned what works when attempting to keep her sons occupied … and what simply doesn’t make the cut.

“I’ll bring my Blackberry and everybody wants it,” she explains. ”But bring one that’s a few seasons old for them to play with and they look at you like, ‘Nice try.’ Even kids under two seem to have a sense for technology and what the latest product is.”

But no matter how many tips and tricks she has up her sleeve, Poehler knows she isn’t fooling anyone when it comes to wrangling her boys.

“I’m just another supermom!” she jokes. “Who am I kidding? I’m lucky to get everybody out the door without Cheerios stuck to their pajamas.”

– Anya Leon

Comments

I love it! She’s so right. I give my kids an old cell phone to play with and they’re like, yeah it doesn’t work mom. Its true about the food on their clothes. How do they manage to squish whatever they were eating into their little behinds, lol

- Shannon on May 19th, 2011

My daughter is only 6 months, and she already has us on the up at 7am schedule. I’m a night owl too, and now 11pm has me dragging. Sleeping in is a rare treasure my husband gives me when he can!

- Kat on May 19th, 2011

Haha, I can relate too. I gave birth to my 1st baby last year at the age of 34. He is 8 months now and he has no mercy over my husband and I! We are lucky if we get to sleep till 8, but nope, he is also up by 7 sometimes 6:30. Long gone are the days when I got to sleep till 11 or so. Babies do change your life!( all for the better

- Rachel on May 19th, 2011

My two kids were always early risers, so I can totally identify with the hard mornings Sleep is definitely one of the first things you give up when you have children. Only a few lucky friends have sleep-loving kids…

- Amit on May 19th, 2011

I just saw her and the boys at Whole Foods in TriBeCa the other day. She was very friendly and sweet, and the boys were adorable- Archie was running around with his nanny up and down the access ramp while Amy checked out. It was super cool

- Anonymous on May 19th, 2011

Wow you think 7 am is early??? are you kidding????

how lucky. my 3 boys are up at 5 am. in winter it is sometimes 3.40 am, lights on, playing. no chance of going back to sleep here.

I now keep my 1 year old and 3 year old up til 9 or 930 at night to get them to sleep til 5.45 am.

enjoy your great sleepers! and your sleep.

- aksd on May 20th, 2011

My kids always woke us up every morning at 6am when they were this age. I was still nursing my kids at 9 months, so I was up A LOT at night so my first night of full sleep was well beyond one year of age. Good for her though, she probably works really early these days so a full night of sleep is the goal!

I love her on Parks & Recreation–it’s my favorite tv show!!

- Sarah S. on May 20th, 2011

My husband and I are expecting our first in November and our parents are already warning us to expect an early riser. Going to bed before midnight in this house never happens!!

I love Amy, she seems so down to earth and loving with her kids

- Bree on May 20th, 2011

I must be blessed because my son has slept well since birth! He would only wake up once about 0330 to nurse and then he would sleep until 8 or 9. Now (He’s 3 1/2) he will sleep until 10 or later… The only downfall is he won’t go to bed before midnight! Oh well, I can handle late nights for late mornings!

- Samantha on May 20th, 2011

Night Owls rejoice! My kids are now 8 and 10 . . . and I am once again able to be my nocturnal self (as in, “awake and enjoying myself at midnight” vs. “half-awake nursing a newborn, and then trying to change a baby gown with 80 snaps, sans my glasses at midnight.”) However, now that I can sleep I desperately miss those pre-dawn cuddle sessions and having a baby in general. My mom once told me that “the days are long, but the years are short” when it comes to raising children and she is so right! Can’t believe my “babies” have grown so fast!!

- Karey on May 23rd, 2011