It's Bedtime
It’s Bedtime
By Allan Olson
“It’s time for bed!” is a favorite saying of many parents of young children.
Bedtime symbolizes approaching quiet time, perhaps time to watch a show, read a book, catch up on housework or spend some time with your spouse.
At our house, we enjoy the quietness of bedtime, but the process of getting there can be a chore in itself.
We found that it usually works best to give them some time, a warning to let them know its coming up soon.
The process leading up to that is getting them ready to get in bed.
The girls are usually the most challenging to get in bed. And since mom has them the majority of the day, that job is usually mine.
Since our girls share a room and go to bed at the same time, they are quick to pick up on each other’s delay tactics.
“It’s bedtime,” mom or I will inform them.
“I need a drink,” they will say to delay a few more moments.
Once in bed, then the rest of their tactics start.
“Cover me up.”
“No, not my Strawberry Shortcake blanket, my Tinkerbell blanket,” Alivia will say when I go to cover her up.
That line usually changes with whatever blanket I cover her up with first.
“Hug, kiss, high-five,” she will say.
“Hug, kiss, high-five,” Abigail echoes.
Now why or how that process started, I have no idea, but I fell for it one night because it was cute, and I’ve been on the hook with it ever since.
Okay. Two girls covered and high-fived, and as I walk out the door, “I need a drink of water,” one of them will say.
“Leave the door open,” one of the girls will say.
This, too, varies nightly, and sometimes they like to contradict each other just to bug the other and get them crying.
With the bedtime process completed – I think – I head for the living room.
“I gotta go potty,” one of the girls will say. And if one has to go, the other does, too.
“Hurry up,” we say.
“Cover me up,” they will ask, once done.
So back in their room again to cover them up.
Then the cycle starts all over again.
“I need a drink of water.”
“No,” I reply.
They know that is my standard answer, one drink – no more, but they have to try anyway.
“Hug, kiss, and high-five.”
I usually give in to this once again.
With the process (re)done, I go back to the living room.
“Abi, wake-up. Abi, you awake?” Alivia says most nights, quite loudly.
Marcus, too will ask for the hug, kiss and high five. But his is usually done on a much quieter level than the girls.
However, once in awhile, if he is in one of his “mischievous” stages, he likes to kick or hit the wall to keep his sisters awake.
Frustrated at the girls one evening with their usual evening performance, I tried complaining about them to garner a little sympathy for my frustrations. “Your girls,” I said to my wife.
“Your the one who caters to them,” she replied, not feeling any sympathy for me.
“Guilty,” I thought. Those girls really know how to play me. One of these days, perhaps, I will learn my lesson. Thanks for reading and I hope you have a great week.
By Allan Olson
“It’s time for bed!” is a favorite saying of many parents of young children.
Bedtime symbolizes approaching quiet time, perhaps time to watch a show, read a book, catch up on housework or spend some time with your spouse.
At our house, we enjoy the quietness of bedtime, but the process of getting there can be a chore in itself.
We found that it usually works best to give them some time, a warning to let them know its coming up soon.
The process leading up to that is getting them ready to get in bed.
The girls are usually the most challenging to get in bed. And since mom has them the majority of the day, that job is usually mine.
Since our girls share a room and go to bed at the same time, they are quick to pick up on each other’s delay tactics.
“It’s bedtime,” mom or I will inform them.
“I need a drink,” they will say to delay a few more moments.
Once in bed, then the rest of their tactics start.
“Cover me up.”
“No, not my Strawberry Shortcake blanket, my Tinkerbell blanket,” Alivia will say when I go to cover her up.
That line usually changes with whatever blanket I cover her up with first.
“Hug, kiss, high-five,” she will say.
“Hug, kiss, high-five,” Abigail echoes.
Now why or how that process started, I have no idea, but I fell for it one night because it was cute, and I’ve been on the hook with it ever since.
Okay. Two girls covered and high-fived, and as I walk out the door, “I need a drink of water,” one of them will say.
“Leave the door open,” one of the girls will say.
This, too, varies nightly, and sometimes they like to contradict each other just to bug the other and get them crying.
With the bedtime process completed – I think – I head for the living room.
“I gotta go potty,” one of the girls will say. And if one has to go, the other does, too.
“Hurry up,” we say.
“Cover me up,” they will ask, once done.
So back in their room again to cover them up.
Then the cycle starts all over again.
“I need a drink of water.”
“No,” I reply.
They know that is my standard answer, one drink – no more, but they have to try anyway.
“Hug, kiss, and high-five.”
I usually give in to this once again.
With the process (re)done, I go back to the living room.
“Abi, wake-up. Abi, you awake?” Alivia says most nights, quite loudly.
Marcus, too will ask for the hug, kiss and high five. But his is usually done on a much quieter level than the girls.
However, once in awhile, if he is in one of his “mischievous” stages, he likes to kick or hit the wall to keep his sisters awake.
Frustrated at the girls one evening with their usual evening performance, I tried complaining about them to garner a little sympathy for my frustrations. “Your girls,” I said to my wife.
“Your the one who caters to them,” she replied, not feeling any sympathy for me.
“Guilty,” I thought. Those girls really know how to play me. One of these days, perhaps, I will learn my lesson. Thanks for reading and I hope you have a great week.
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