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I just don't get that uptight about bedtime. I'm flexible. Especially with Tallen and Ross.
It's not like the kids miss out on any sleep. Currently, Tallen has a bath and wants to go to sleep at around 9:00 P.M. Then, he wakes up on his own around 6 or 7, in the morning. So, he sleeps until he is ready to wake up. Ross has been dealing with night terrors, like a lot of 2 year old children. So, she may fall asleep around 8:00 P.M., after her bath. But then she may wake up at around 1 or 2 in the morning. This doesn't stress me out so much, as she is just wanting to be comforted and needs time to wind back down. Hubs, on the other hand, seems to think I should invoke a police state around here and make everyone go to bed and stay in bed at a certain time. I don't see his point as he isn't even the one awake dealing with the kids. He goes to bed and gets up on his own schedule.
Secretly, I have been enjoying the late night alone time with Ross. She is such a funny kid and so sweet. At around 3 A.M. this morning, she was dancing around the living room, singing word for word, the song about being an only child, from the HBO Storybook Musical, Alexander's Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day. She even had all the dance moves down pat. Who could be stressed out at that? lol Then, we shared a glass of milk and some peanut butter crackers, before she went back to sleep, with a smile on her face. I had much rather have it this way than forcing her to go to bed and stay there.
I remember being a kid and having a strict bedtime. It was miserable. Sometimes, I just had stuff on my mind and couldn't sleep. It would have been nice to be able to get out of bed, without fear of punishment, and be comforted. In the summertime, that strict bedtime had me and my sister going to bed before dark!
With the older girls, I have let them figure out their own comfortable bedtime. They know what time they need to be in bed, in order to not be tired the next day. It only took a couple of late nights and draggy days for them to figure this out. They get up at 5:00 A.M. each morning, on their own. I figure, if this is working for them, why should I force them to go to bed at a certain time? If it ever becomes a problem, I will immediately put some changes in place. But why start a battle where there is no need for one?
I would be interested to know how the rest of you handle bedtime and what rules, if any, that you have in place.
Sometimes I let my daughter stay later, especially when she starts whining that she wants to stay till Daddy gets home. I know it's not good parenting but I feel bad because sometimes she doesn't see him at all.
ReplyDeleteSometimes we make a deal:she goes to bed early and I let her read in bed.