Vegas. Oh the stories to tell and pictures to share. I will. I promise. But that requires some energy and I don't have any. Oh, the life with a baby. I can't concentrate long enough to get to it.
So, instead, I have a little tip to share.
Bedtimes are not the quiet, special time that I often read about on other mommy blogs. Are they lying? They must be. Bedtimes are not so quiet here and I don't linger at their doors. My children will hear me say "Mommy is off duty now. Time for bed. We are done." (Please no mean emails. I am doing the best I can.)
Kyle doesn't listen and he looks for the perfect book for twenty minutes (no exaggeration) and Ryan always needs his water glass refilled and reminded to get dressed while I hustle around trying to feed the million fish and get Elle settled. I am constantly reminding them to get dressed, brush their teeth and find their books.
After seven years, I have finally found a way to enjoy this time. Get ready. It is earth shattering. Are you ready? I take a cup of tea up to their bedroom with me. That is the secret. Amazing, I know. It forces me to sit down. It keeps me occupied and I can take it a little slower. Who knew that a twenty cent cup of tea could turn my crazy bedtime routine into something I can sort of enjoy?
You still won't catch me lingering at their door once I have said goodnight. My tea is finished and I am eager to run down the stairs and be off duty. But, I just had to share this simple solution to my bedtime routine. And if you need to add a little Baileys to your coffee or tea, I won't tell anyone. This mommy blogger won't judge or tell.
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8 comments:
Ha! I've been known to take a beer upstairs as part of our bedtime routine. Unfortunately, my 8 yr. old now asks why I am drinking beer if it's not good for you, and my 3 year old begs to smell it because she thinks it smells "yummy!" I may need to re-think my drink of choice!
I love the "We are done"! ~Aldee's Friend Mary
You're brilliant! Val's more brilliant, I must say. :)
I never really read bed time stories to my poor kids. I was reading to them all day long (I love to read aloud), so bedtime was for sleeping. Get in bed. Go to sleep. No lingering. I'm with ya. By bedtime I was DONE.
I occasionally bring a glass of wine to drink during the kid's bath time. Makes me more patient during bath time and bed time. I'll try tea now too! :) Hang in there.
Lou Lou
Whatever gets you through the night! I must say, you have much more patience that I do -- you wait 20 minutes for your child to pick out a book?!
That gives you the God-given right to be off duty!!!
Good idea! With my munchkins (because I am also ready to be off-duty) I also make them get changed and pick out the book earlier in the evening. They do it fairly quick when they know they still have 30 minutes to go downstairs and play some more before bedtime. Then all we have to do is come up and get into bed.
-C
You are completely right. Bedtime is NOT quiet here either. And by that time of night my hubby has MAYBE a fraction of an ounce of patience left so I am not only trying to calm the boys down and get them into bed I am trying to keep Todd from exploding. Egad. Maybe I should get Todd to start drinking tea!
I also use the saying that I am off duty. And bedtime is never quiet in our house. DH riles them up by watching AFV and wrestling or tickling the girls and that gets me riled up by saying.."QUIET TIME" to no avail.
The tea sounds good though with a shot following but the alcohol is 2+ ww points.LOL
Hugs
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