Bedtime
It’s 6:30 pm and our children are in bed asleep. Blackout curtains and sound machines were invented for me. This article has been making the rounds the past few days about the benefits of an early bedtime (and the boys usually go to bed more than an hour earlier than their mentioned “absurdly” early bedtime). Sure, I could tell you that we put our kids to bed, umm, obscenely early because science says that it will make them healthier and smarter. Screw science. Let’s talk sanity.
We don’t have the money or flexibility in our schedule to do a whole lot of self care. I don’t get massages. Ryan and I don’t do date nights. We don’t go on vacation. But I sure do covet my evenings with wine, adult television and conversation, and the choice to do something productive and responsible, or not. And silence. Glorious silence.
I’m taking advantage of these jokers’ current inability to tell time and lack of evening activity commitments, because I know it won’t last forever.
They are so darling when they are sleeping.
I am such a huge fan of early bedtime!!! My kids (3,5,7) were all asleep by 7:30 tonight and most nights at least two of them are out by 7 or even earlier. I need my sanity time and they need their sleep!! Cranky kids all around if they don't get sleep 🙁
I am so jealous! How do you get them to bed so early? We start before 7pm and the whole ordea isn't over until after 9pm, and sometimes they are both awake over an hour after I leave their rooms. I want so badly for them to go to bed earlier because I know they are tired, but I just can't seem to make it happen. Teo's nightly constitutional (#2) always starts right when I try to initiate bedtime and he's not done for 20mins! Ugh. I wish my kids could do this. Of course we're not even home until 6pm most nights so…
I'm trying to think what it is that works for us and I really don't know other than our routine is REALLY short and consistent- 10 minute bath, 2 books, and in the bed she goes- and I don't put up with any kind of stalling or meltdowns- sometimes I'll leave C in her bed crying and just kiss her goodnight and leave the room- and she knows crying isn't going to make me come back. That being said, she really is my “first”' when it comes to all this- Grayson's body is completely done by 5:30 and he always falls asleep within minutes. Nolan could be my wild card- we shall see!
Such sweet babies!!!
We also struggle with sleeping a bit, but I do expect it will ve better once he starts kg. He is 22 months old and although I wish we were more stable in this matter, I don't bother myself a lot.
what time do your kids wake up?
Charlotte sleeps a solid 12-13 hours (but doesn't nap so that's a trade-off) and is up between 6:30-7:30 am. Nolan is still terrible at night and usually wakes up twice and wakes for the day at 6:00- now that summer is here we really need to work on his sleeping. G goes to bed at 6 and usually wakes up for the day around 6:30.
I'm on the opposite side of the fence. Whenever the articles say “early bedtimes are the key to life” I cringe and feel like a horrible parent. Most days, Nick isn't home until 6:30 and for Blaine, that is when the party begins. They have been out until 10 every night this week mowing, planting, tilling, chickens, etc. Other times of the year there is icefishing, ice castles, harvest, you name it. Then it is a triple win for me because he sleeps in until 10 AM most days and goes to preschool at 12:30. If he was up at 6 AM I would have a loooooot more entertainment to do and he would have zero daddy time. I think you do what works for your family!