What is it with kids and bedtime? Why does it have to be a continuous nightmare around here? My kids are pretty fab, I am lucky, I mean they actually eat vegetables, so I am one of those lucky mums! OK well Adam complains and sometimes at age 6 I will still spoon feed him his peas just so he is not still sitting at the table past midnight, but overall they are great kids! But when it comes to bed time I have two little kids who turn into a Jack in the Box, as in they just keep popping out.
The middle child, the one that should be problematic and attention seeking due to her unfortunate birth placement is my angel chid when it comes to bed time and admittedly mornings too! I guess it makes sense though, if you get to sleep at a good hour you are more likely to be able to get up in the morning and embrace the day!
The other two were sent to test my patience. My hubby jokes that if they had been born as the first 2 we never would have had 3, he jokes, but he probably means it! As babies they screamed for hours on end, they wanted me and only me, but not just holding them, they wanted me pacing the floors until . . . well forever!!!! If they had their way I’d still have them in the baby sling! We say we sold our first home because it got too small, but the truth is the floor was so worn from me pacing up and down it was about to give way! (OK not really, but it felt like it). My son, now 6 asked me to carry him up the stairs the other night, I swear he wants me to keep the physiotherapist in business! I wish I’d married one somedays!
I thought it would get easier as they got older, I thought you just told them it was bedtime, gave them hugs, said I love you and they would stay in their rooms. (NIAVE MUCH)? I used to see it on TV shows, those children that as you tucked them in and read them a bed time story they fell asleep like sweet little darlings, well not mine! Does this actually happen? Do people have children who do that? Really? Mine want 3 stories, 4, 5 and songs, endless songs (at leat they like my singing and my silly made up songs), but still they don’t fall asleep. They come out for an extra hug, they have sore tummies, and then they need another hug! I love hugs, I love my kids, but sometimes this mum needs a cup of tea and to watch some crappy show, or a really good show like The Walking Dead, which would really freak the kids out!
Last night I was tired, really tired, I just wanted to vegetate on the couch. The dishes were done, I needed to vacuum, but that could wait until morning, I was so tired. And it seems they have a radar for this, because honestly the youngest and oldest just kept coming out! Now I could explain it away with, it’s a new house, they are not used to it yet, but they have done this for years!!!!
The bedtime routine takes me forever, I give each of them my undivided attention, we talk, we giggle, we hug, but it is never enough. I check on April and there she is sitting in her bed reading quietly to herself, (whilst the others come in and out), April smiles sweetly to me as I pass her room, then when she has had enough she turns off her lamp and sleeps. In the morning she is up before me, she sets her little iPod alarm, makes her bed, gets her breakfast, does her hair and puts her uniform on, and even takes the dog out for the toilet without being asked! I know she is amazing!
I think it is pay back, I know I did this to my parents when I was younger, they remind me of this all the time, as do my 3 older siblings. But surely I wasn’t still doing it at age 12, was I? I understand they don’t mean to annoy me, they love me and need me and that really is lovely. I shouldn’t moan, I am so lucky to be a mum! But sometimes I just need to vent! Today was one of those days!
Wish me luck tonight!
“do I really have to go to bed mum?”
Thanks for joining me, love Mac xx
Find me on Instagram @macglanville and Twitter @macglanville. Join my link up #mg every Monday (and the few days following).
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14 comments
Aww, this post had me nodding my head. If you’re anything like me, you don’t sound half as frustrated as you really are – I lost countless hours to crying and ranting about why my baby girl wouldn’t Please Please Just Go To Sleep! Honestly, it was no fun at all.
I hope you get some time for yourself today, and that something shifts in the bedtime routine so you can start to have evenings to yourself – you deserve them!
Bedtimes are the absolute worst part of the day! I’m always shattered by that point too so get cranky and shouty which of course makes matters worse. It takes hours. I really hate it!
Well done on the vegetable situation though! #stayclassy
Currently our near three year old is quite good at going to bed and even when he does muck about – he’ll do all the shouting/calling out but he never leaves his room and attempts to come back downstairs. Of course that might change as he gets older but I’m not going to think about that lol! You must have a lot of patience! Also your daughter sounds like a really sweet and kind girl! #stayclassymama
Yup it can definitely be a struggle! I must say that my two *generally* do ok with bedtime routines… although it can still take a while! #AnythingGoes
My boy is nearly 3 and we are lucky that most night bedtime goes quite smoothly. I don’t have any advice I’m sorry as I don’t have older children, a good rant though is always a good way of making yourself feel better though :). Your daughter sounds like an angel child!! If you were doing it as a child then atleast you can have hope it will stop one day?I assume you don’t still take ages to go up to bed at bedtime 🙂 xx #anythinggoes
You already won one battle with greens so well done. I know the sleeping routine can be difficult. I have to rock Baba to sleep somtimes. I know I should not, but sometimes, it breaks my heart to see him crying….#AnythingGoes
we have a sixteen year old, and it still goes on. It’s like they are afraid they will miss something by going to bed. Come to think of it, I have the same problem with my wife. It seems I’m the only one in the house that actually looks forward to going to bed at night. #anythinggoes
So true!!! Mine is the same situation – middle child is heaven sent when it comes to bedtime, he goes straight down without a hint of a question about it. But oldest?! NO chance!!! He seems to be on a constant challenge to see how long he can stay awake :/ #anythinggoes xx
Oh God really?! It goes on like this for years?! My three year old is like this now and I hoped he’d grow out of it! Stupid thing is he’s had a set bedtime routine since he was two weeks old so I can’t help but think that all the nonsense they pummel into you about giving them a routine so it continues into the later years is completely that, nonsense! Ah well. These things are sent to try us, I will just have to wear him out every evening in the vain hope he’s that shattered he passes out each night! I can dream right?! #AnythingGoes
sorry, but yes really! I hope for you it is different, but I am stuck with 2 children who were born to be night owls
My two are like your two! Bedtime drives us nuts and takes so very long. Perhaps we can borrow your middle child and demo bedtime behaviors. It’s a losing battle for us. #mg
haha funnily enough she can’t get my other 2 to follow her lead
Bed times are not fun with us either I am dreading the baby being old enough to join in the circus that is bed time x #sundaybest
The bedtime battle can be so hard! My stepson is nearly 10 and still mucks about, I have just resigned myself to living like this haha! Thanks for linking up to #SundayBest x
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