Bedtime Routine

Putting my kid to sleep. She is at that age where they need to do it themselves, but simply cannot stay focused enough to get it done.

As a parent you turn into this person you told yourself you would never be. Wandering around the house muttering to yourself about why your kid just can't listen one time to a word you say. Eye rolling as they ask you 10 times in 10 seconds what it is you asked them to do. Or better yet simply ignoring you a living in their own reality which apparently has not method for time keeping or recognition of the passing of time in general. Suddenly you find yourself standing in their doorway with the look of crazed zombie, breathing fire and shouting (affectionately called the screeching mommy) about how hard can it be to put on pajamas, brush your teeth and get into bed!

Suddenly you stop yourself take a mental inventory and say calmly that if you can't get this done on your own or in 5 minutes, whatever..Then no story time, no before bedtime routine. Luckily my daughter doesn't get out of bed 15 times, but getting her in can be a challenge.

Tonight is no different, sent her to her room at 8 to get into pajamas etc. at 8:30 she came out in pajamas and claims to have made bed as well. Feeling proud that I managed to sit quietly while this took place asked her if teeth had been brushed etc. She promptly states I hadn't asked her to do that, but she would do it right then. Heads to bathroom and starts playing music box in the bathroom rather than actually brushing teeth. Yell to remind her start brushing her teeth....random toothburshing sounds emitted from the bathroom. She returns and states that since I didn't leap from my chair that she will now have to sleep on the couch because I was not ready to do the nightime routine the second she crossed the threshold of the bathroom.

Now 40 minutes past bedtime I send her to bed. She asks very politely if I will sing to her one time. Right then I DO NOT want to sing, but the little voice in my head says she won't ask for this forever. Internal struggle ensues for one quick minute because you must decide quickly. Children smell indecision like fear and jump on the opportunity. Instead of going to her bed I sit her down next to me sing quickly exchange a warm good night parting and send her to bed.

All in all, no yelling (at least in anger) and while she was 40 minutes late to bed, she went there amicably and I managed to control my intense desire to resort to screeching mommy. It was a passable experience had by all. What more can you ask for?