Tuesday, July 22, 2008

Bedtime Battles

You know what, I HATE bedtime! Not my own of course, I'm always happy to go to bed, but my children's. This is one of my greatest challenges as a mother, and it always has been. It's when I'm most prone to morph into the wicked witch. Summer time is even worse because it stays light so late here, and because we don't have any real routine or reason to be up early in the morning, so it's even harder to convince the kids they really do need to go to bed. From the time I say, "It's time to start getting ready for bed" the girls start finding ways to stall--we forgot to feed the pets, I need a drink, I'm starving, I didn't practice the piano, I just want to finish this movie, etc, etc. We try to have family prayer and scripture time, but mostly I feel like I'm just reading outloud to myself. I get frustrated because I know they need their sleep or they will be extra grumpy the next day, and they are not always cooperative with doing what needs to be done to get in their beds at a reasonable hour. But I can't keep them moving along and make sure everyone's teeth get brushed and dirty clothes get picked up at the same time I am trying to read to Anya and nurse Paisley so that she settles down for the night, and also get scripture time and prayers all in there. I have got to figure out some way to change the routine so that my kids don't go t bed every night thinking I am the meanest mother on the planet.

4 comments:

Karianne said...

I agree. Last night, I got the kids in bed while Brody was at Scouts. Alaina came out at least twenty times, and Lucas woke up Seth. Then Lucas was up until 9:30 and Seth was up until after 10:00, and that's late for us. I wanted to scream. Alaina finally settled down ONLY after Brody got home and tucked her in. By then I was feeling very witchy.

tizzyhill said...

my children go to bed perfectly, thank you very much. for as crazy as alex is, he never gives us a hard time going to bed. i feel very blessed in that avenue.
-Wendy

Erin L said...

Ana used to go to bed well, but since Jack was born it has been harde. This week at mom's I've had to take her out for a drive a couple times. I don't know what we're gonna do when we move her to a bed...

Chad and Teri said...

Erin: my friend's 3-year-old is still in a crib.

Kelli: you can't possibly be the meanest mother in the world because I am, especially at bedtime. But at least Caleb hasn't written "Why is my mom so mean?" on the sidewalk, which is what another friend's daughter did. I keep hoping that when school starts things will magically change around here so that I hop out of bed at 6:30, and the kids go down easily by 8:30 every night. Something tells me it isn't going to happen.