Thursday, March 20, 2008
A New Order
So we recently changed out bed time routine. We use to read seven books, tell seven stories, tickle backs while singing 2-3 songs, pray, get water, hug ONE MORE TIME, get the perfect amount of light coming in from the bathroom, and then go downstairs knowing I would be back to sing ONE more song...and all that is just to get Mike to sleep..ha ha just kidding. Ok, maybe I am exaggerating a little, but bed time was getting ridiculous. A couple of nights ago I decided to try something new. The girls get into their p.j's, brush their teeth, then come downstairs for family scripture study. After we read, we say prayers and send the girls off to bed. (after a kiss and hug) There are not threats, I just let them know I expect them to go to sleep. It may be a fluke, but for the last three nights they have gone off to bed with no trouble! I don't know if this is good or bad. Am I being a bad mom by not going to their rooms each night? Like I say, it's only been three days so I don't think I have done any permanent damage. I will say that Caise said our family prayer last night and she thanked Heavenly Father that we were reading the BOM again...(something that didn't always happen when all the hoop-la was going on)....also, we still read other books, we just do it right after school...ok, now I am done defending myself.
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9 comments:
I wouldn't feel bad...kids take advantage of us and know our weaknesses! I just went through a new bedtime approach as well because Carson would somehow find 10 ways to get me back into his room after I had already told him goodnight. It took one night of not giving in and him falling asleep on the floor by his door to fix it! Enjoy your well earned freedom.
BTW - I was calling to see if you wanted to set up a meeting to plan our mother/daughter activity. Is it really almost April...yikes! Use a flashlight and morse code and get back to me... :)
Everyone seems happy, don't feel guilty. Your kids know you love them :)
That sounds like a great bedtime routine. Kids will turn bedtime into a complicated nightmare of Renaissance Faire proportions if they can get away with it. It requires CONSTANT VIGILANCE! Our problem is that we get nighttime visitors, and I never know about it, because they bug John.
Great job Jill. Think of it this way, doing it like this ensures family scripture study which is much more important in the long run than 10 hugs and books. PLus you are reading the books just not when it is so late and you need a little time to yourself. This is a great routine to establish before the baby comes as well. Bed time was a nightmare here too. Now we have scriptures then I set the timer for 5 mins. In that time they have to get in PJ's, brush teeth and be in bed with the lights off...then I come in and sing one song, hug and kiss them and I am out of there. Although sometimes they do sucker me into ONE MORE HUG. I figure at this late age I might not be getting very many more so I take them.
oh yeah...if they arent ready and in bed by the time the buzzer rings...NO SONG FOR YOU!
I think that sounds very smart. Eventually I would think you would want your kids to learn to go to sleep by themselves right? I mean I don't think you'd want to sing Casie to sleep when she's 15. :)
Don't feel guilty! That is Satans tool to get us moms. (I am still guilty of guilt..) You are a great mom. They love you. You are definatly getting your time in with them.
And thanks Mindy! LOVE the 'timer' idea. I am going to try that! : )
Yes you are a bad mom! I can not believe you won't spend 2 hours putting your kids to bed! Just kidding, when you had just 1 or 2 small ones, it's not a big deal, but you're going to have 4 and you could be there all night. If you were smart you would have a 6:30-7:00 bedtime (like us) and then you have all night to yourselves-it's great!
Hey Jill- Good to catch up with your blog! I've missed reading everyone's blogs while I was gone. Thanks for commenting on my trip blog. It was nice to feel like I had a connection to people at home while traveling!
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