Kiss GoodnightThat's the name of this print.
Oh, if it were that simple.
Bedtime is just not that simple with children.
At least not my children.
At least not my girls.
Jedi, at bedtime, gets his kiss, hug and blessing and is off to bed. Period. He's not seen again until morning.
Not so with the girls.
Who are supposed to go to bed 1/2 hour earlier than him, are rarely "in bed" by then.
Oh, we start early with them, but there are fights, "Moooooooom Babycakes is out of bed!!!" "Moooooooooooom, they won't be quiet!" "Mooooooooooom I can't sleep, I'm sooooo hot!" and the list goes on and on.
Do people really have the kind of bedtimes they show in the movies? The ones where the kids all go to sleep "Goodnight John-boy" kind of bedtimes?
Bedtime is my least patient time of the whole day. So much so that I usually do baths in the morning, because I'm patient then and allow play time.
I admit it.
After supper, I can't wait until bedtime. (for the kiddos)
I love my kiddos, but 13 1/2 hours straight with them is just, well, it's time for bed.
It's the whole getting ready thing too. My kiddos don't just go brush their teeth and put their jammies on without me telling them several times, and then asking one final time, threatening to smell their breath...."Okay, I'll brush them"
They start dancing and running, at bedtime. Why at bedtime? It never fails. They get sooo wound up at bedtime.
My ideal bedtime is jammies on, teeth brushed, bedtime stories, prayers, kisses and well, that should be it, right?
It usually ends with threats to send someone to the basement with the spiders.
I'm serious.
I wonder is it just girls? Or, is it just multiple girls?
Is it because they share a room?
Would it be better if they each had their own room, like Jedi?
(that's not happening)
Is it just my kids?
When people ask me if Sweetie Pie sleeps through the night, I have to laugh, because, does that really matter, when I have 3 other girls who each get up at least once in the night for something? Like last night, for over an hour around 1am, I was up with coughing girls, who woke each other up.
Kiss goodnight.
Sounds so simple.
Dear Jamie, your struggle is not mine. We each have our own. My kids tend to go to bed well. They take a bath at night (because they are filthy!!), their dad or an older sibling reads for about an hour, then it's prayers and bed. Graham sometimes stays up a little longer, but he's not riled up; he just wants to sit by me. Sometimes he'll just lay in our bed to sleep until Eric comes home and moves him upstairs.
ReplyDeleteNo, my struggle is washing the sheets more often than I'd like due to wetting and kids/babies who get up at 5:30am. It gets to be an incredibly long day when it starts before the crack of dawn - sounds like that part of our day is EXACTLY the same!!
GREAT POST JAMIE!!! Suzie does not have that many girls. I think it must be a "GIRL" thing.
ReplyDeleteWhen my oldest daughter is gone it is very very quiet around the house. When it is just me, the boys and a babe.
Bedtime is crazy here too. I tend to want them in bed....like in a second..but it takes so long!
I usually give them 5 min. to get the talking out then it must be QUIET. Something about talking in bed to another person. Kids like it.
Sorry to hear they are sick. Hope all gets better soon.
I have not magic trick to get them in bed, stay quiet and DO NOT COME OUT TILL 8am!
I should say this....but maybe you will miss this when they are older????!!! hee hee
I have not magic trick....I HAVE NO magic trick....my my my
ReplyDeleteI meant to say I shouldn't say this....
etc....I cannot type when baby wants to eat!
Yeah, summer is here, I have to do baths at night again....patience...patience....
ReplyDeleteJamie:
ReplyDeleteIt is not just a girl thing. I have four boys and a girl. The boys are 5 1/2 years apart. Maybe it is a "multiple kids so close in age and sharing a room thing." Bedtime is a struggle for us. I HATE it when a perfectly lovely day falls apart at bed time. I understand. Pray for me and I'll pray for you:)Thanks for the Knight books. I promise to shoot you a thank you letter and goodies soon.
Suzie: I have one bed wetter. I wake him up to go to the bathroom every night before I crawl into bed. (About 10:30-11:00)He goes right back to sleep and is able to make it through the night.
Blessings, Kelly
In my house it's definitely a girl thing. We've got three little hens in one room, Jamie--and MANY'S the night that the last thing they get is a stern admonition, not a kiss.
ReplyDeleteYes, I feel guilty about our bedtime routine sometimes but they can be such STINKERS. Especially one of them, (you know who), who yaks & yaks & YAKS until she literally drops from exhaustion.
Girls will be girls. I hear my three older sisters tell stories about getting into BIG trouble with my father (normally a mild-mannered guy) for being rowdy. Hang in there. Send 'em to sleep with the spiders if you have to.
PS. I used that line today. My daughter (the "you know who" one) narrowed her eyes at me and said, "You wouldn't do that."
Your house too?! You are not alone. And although I only have the one of each, I think we have more issues with dear 7 year old daughter than stubborn 5 year old son.
ReplyDeleteBoth, however, come up with numerous things that only mommy can do just at bedtime. Although bedtime routine has always been when daddy takes over, suddenly only I can brush their teeth, carry them upstairs, etc., etc.
My husband is a very patient man, but at bedtime when there is shinanigans it's not pretty around our home. We seem to go in mad circles with bedtime. We can get on a good roll, but fall quickly back into a bad pattern that lasts and lasts.
If only it were as simple as a kiss and a 'goodnight'. AAHHHH.....
I hate spiders. I veto any kid going down with the spiders!!!!! let'em YAK!
ReplyDeleteNever happens here (Kiss Goodnight) and there's really no one to fight with, or tattle on, or be bothered by (because they are far apart in age). It's just stalling. But it's more than just my girl, so it must be a personality thing. I think my kids sense that I am not up for a fight at bedtime, so they get away with more.
ReplyDeleteTonight I told Faith I had a headache because she argued with me so much during the day (and I do, because she did). She was sad but that's o.k., she needs to feel guilty. I think kids need to know that they make mama's life difficult. My mother tells my children all the time, "You make your mother tired from (fill in the blank)." It's nice to have someone else tell them.
For me, it's just a kid thing. I have two boys (6 years and 2 1/2 years) that share a room. The six year old has autism and has this routine of reading books at the top of his voice "to the class" (he's copying his teachers in school). We try to break him of this habit but it's useless. we let him do this until 8 and then he puts himself to sleep. The two year old seems to be fine listening to the bedtime stories, but it's annoying for me to listen to when I just want them to sleep.
ReplyDeleteThen my daughter, who is four, tends to wander from 7-8 with all sorts of excuses. This can be annoying. I give her "medicine" which is just applesauce and tell her that she should go to sleep now. And she does. Love your post--nice to hear that it's not just my family!
I had to laugh about the basement and spiders...that threat has been uttered here as well.
ReplyDeleteMy husband likes to go to sleep earlier than me. (I need some quiet time when everyone else is asleep.) For us, our boys are together and sometimes they complain about each other...his reading light is still...he's keeping me up...but if they push Daddy to far they know he means business. My duaghter is now having sleeping in the dark issues...
I wish they would all just brush their teeth before bed!
LUV the pictures! Mine all still like a kiss before bed...even my big boy (shhh)!
In my case, no. Getting them to bed has been a nightmare from the start of them no longer being in the crib. There have been many nights I wish I could get into the crib! But, they'd just follow me in there anyway!
ReplyDeleteNow that they are older, it's a little easier, but they still take FOREVER to get ready for bed . . . and they tussle with each other, too. Ugh.
I call it the "witching hour" over here. They all of a sudden went from bored to finding their toys very interesting and all of a sudden everyone is hungry (though at dinner time it was, "I am not very hungry momma...really!)God bless your heart, He says your struggles!
ReplyDelete