Now, our bedtime routine feels like a three ring circus at times, but we are working on that. Having an 11 year who has soccer practice or church activities until 8:00 or 8:30 puts us a little later getting to bed, but I'm not going to make her miss activities she absolutely loves because of a chart. There's also another thing about my kiddos. Two out of our three kids are night owls. They want to know where the party is and how long they can stay. The other child will fall asleep anywhere and at anytime if she is tired. But, if she goes to sleep at 8:30, the child is up at the butt crack of dawn ready to face the day. Well, what about us parents who were up until midnight trying to settle the other two crazies down? That's right! We feel a little exhausted the next day. My man child has decided that sleep is overrated. If he doesn't get settled down until late or has trouble falling asleep, he still gets up super early!!!! Our 11 year old almost has it figured out, but she hasn't quite grasped the concept of going to sleep late on a school night equals being tired and grouchy the next day. In saying that, we do not let her stay up late on school nights. She does go to bed at a decent time, but she doesn't always go to sleep. My oldest daughter also sleep walks if she is exhausted. She has come in to my bedroom at two in the morning, in a panic, to tell me that she needs composition notebooks for math. I told her to go back to bed, not realizing that she was sleep walking, and she came back into my room with a composition notebook to give me an example of the kind of notebook it was. One of my friends and I always joke about how our "wannabe" bedtime routine just isn't working for our families. I found this meme that made me crack up because it describes exactly what we go through each night.
My oldest daughter also tries to get up to get a piece of ice 1,500,092 times so she doesn't have to go to bed when we ask her to. I've decided that maybe I should just be ready with a cup of ice and throw a piece at her if she tries to get up. Maybe, this will deter her from trying to get out of bed again? This is also the time where she remembers that she has homework or a project due the next day. Does anyone else feel my pain? My middle child needs 752 hugs at the exact moment she lays her head down on her pillow. I love her hugs. They are so sweet, but where are they the rest of the evening. She does fall asleep very quickly, but if she can't get settled down, it's on with the hugs. Here's the kicker. My four year old has decided that when he lays down to go to bed, and isn't quite ready to go to sleep, that he forgot to wash his feet and they stink. That's right. He wants to go back into the tub to wash his feet again, and refuses to settle down unless he gets to wash his feet. He will go as far as to stick his feet in my face so that I can see how bad they still smell. Luke literally gets so upset when his feet stink.
I honestly do love bedtime with our kids most nights. I love hearing them say their prayers and them giving us big hugs and kisses.This is probably when they are at their sweetest and want to cuddle a little. As we move into our new home, I'm sure our routine will change again, and some of that is because each of our kids will have their own room, but I hope the prayers, hugs and snuggles will still stay the same!
Mark 9:36-37 says "36 He took a little child whom he placed among them. Taking the child in his arms, he said to them, 37 "Whoever welcomes on of these little children in my name welcomes me; and whoever welcomes me does not welcome me but the one who send me.'"
I do welcome my children, but we definitely have some work to do. So those of you who are struggling with the bedtime routine, know that you are NOT alone in your struggle!!!
