When I started blogging, I had so much free time it was ridiculous. First, the girls napped twice a day. Then, as they got older and started taking just one nap, they were so enamored with their daddy that when he got home he consumed most of their bedtime routine, especially bath.
For the last several months, he has not been enough and my free time in the evenings has been zapped.
Bedtime woes, in fact, have been tormenting us lately though I think we've finally passed that stage and it's getting easier. I received lots of insight from people and never followed any of it.
We just rode it out because we're those kinds of parents. We've always done this the hard way -- the long way around. We'd rather sit in that chair and ride out the tantrums than leave and teach them a good lesson. (Though, secretly we complain the whole time that we need to teach them a lesson.)
I've written so much on this blog, but never our bedtime routine. It has changed over time, but mostly it's the exact same as it was when they started having a bedtime -- around 10 months or so. We've recently moved everything up by 15 minutes because we felt it was part of the problem and that did help a good bit.
Dinner at 6
Play until 6:45 (used to be 7)
Bath or wash up
Pajamas
Drink smoothie (eat snack if we're having one)
Read 2 or 3 books. (I'll list our favorites right now at the bottom)
Brush teeth
Blow out the light by saying 1-2-3 and blowing. (Twice for twins)
Turn on Turtle and Ladybug lights; play quietly for 5 or so minutes.
Turn them off, get in bed and Jadyn usually requires time in chair with us.
Snuggles and kisses
Asleep by 8:15 p.m.
This is usually when she fights or tantrums but has stopped that and is now sleeping through the night again! Whew!
Our favorite books lately have been these:
"Llama Llama Red Pajama," by Anna Dewdney"
"Are You My Mother?" by P.D
. Eastman
Tuesday, March 3, 2009
Bedtime Woes
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
5 comments:
I love reading this routine - I too have noticed that fifteen minutes earlier changes everything and helps avert bedtime meltdowns. They are tired! We are tired! "Are you my mother" is one of my personal favorites, sometimes serving as a metaphor with clients, too.
xo
interesting to read other people's bedtime routine...
Are you my mother was my most fav. book when I was little.
It is so much easier when the little ones in our lives sleep through the night! The world seems easier to deal with when we have had a good night sleep.
Here's hoping you can find a few more minutes to yourself. you deserve it.
I hope the tantrums ease up.. We had some bedtime woes too (it's always the girl isn't it?) but school fixed that ;)
Hope you get some free time soon. I feel for you... knowing how stressful it can get.
The Llama Llama book, we had from the library for so long they probably thought we were going to hold it for ransome... There is another one too. We love those.
Post a Comment