We're having issues again in our house. Mostly in the girls room at night. Well, now that I think about it, it's all coming from their room and Caleb is pretty much an innocent party (for once!).
Why so much trouble, you ask?
Well, my girls share a room. I could stop right there and enough would be said and understood. But I won't. For I feel a vent session coming on (feel free to stop reading at this point).
So, as I said, Mae and Isabel share a room. Mae has her own twin bed and Isabel is still in a crib. Mae plays and talks with Isabel at night when she should be getting to sleep, and Isabel is all too happy to oblige. Or is it the other way around? It matters not. Take a look at a typical nightly routine...
Night Mae. Night Isabel. Mom and Dad close the door after tucking in and prayers have taken place, then they try to unwind from the day and relax a bit before going to bed themselves. Mom and Dad hear noises and laughter or screaming coming from down the hall. Then a few minutes later Mae comes out to say that Isabel is bothering her. Mom and Dad try to remain calm (for this happens every night!) and tell her to leave Issy alone, ignore her and go to sleep. This repeats itself many times before the girls crash or Mae ends up sleeping in Mom and Dad's bed (which they then move her back to her own room when they hit the sack).
It's exhausting I tell ya! Most nights we are both so fed up with it that the first time Mae comes out she gets the full force of wrath before she gets to the end of the hall! I have come to realize something about myself....I am surprised that I don't breathe fire. Then there are also times that I wish I could! Nights like this one described come to mind.
Isabel should be transitioned to her toddler bed by now, but I can't get myself to do it. I can only imagine what bedtimes would be like if she were allowed to get up and out of bed whenever the whim hit her. For sure she'd get out and play with things and/or bother Mae. In bed would not a place she'd spend much of her pre-sleep moments when the lights are turned out.
*sigh* What to do, what to do.
Friday, October 17
Bed Time Woes
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6 comments:
My boys have gone through this too...
we finally wised up and just began starting out the night with one of them in our bed! Eventually we were able to put them back together in the same room.
Good luck! It is hard when the kids steal your wind down time in the evening. That time is sanity time!
Thanks Lani! The only thing with starting out Mae in our room is that some nights (more often lately) Ryan goes to bed early. But we may have to go that route when Issy moves to the toddler bed.
DO you put the girls down at the same time? I used to put Logan down first and then when he was sleeping I would put Nathan down. It helped in the beginning until they were a little older and going to bed the same time.....they would talk, giggle, ect until I went in and told them bed time is not play time and they had a choice to either ignore me or get treats or privledges taken away for the next day....(basically the good 'ol "Mommy threats"!)
Don't feel like you need to move the youngest out of the crib if she's not climbing out. I read that it's good for kids to be in one until they are, like, 3, because it takes them that long to understand the invisible barriers of the bed...or something. I say don't add unnecessary stress to your life by creating that transition before it's necessary. Just a thought. I totally feel you on this one, with boys who share, and the tendency to wonder why I don't breathe fire at bedtime, too. I'll pray!
I wish I had some wisdom to hand down to you on this one, but Maddie always had her own room and the boys are still to little for these kinds of shenanigans. What I can do is pray--so I will. Thanks to your friends for all of their good ideas. I'll be filing them away for later!
bed time troubles are the worst. It is hard to keep your temper and sanity when losing sleep to children. Hope it goes well. I like the idea of putting one to bed first (maybe the youngest one since she talks the most!) good luck. Wish I could help somehow.
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