A Legitimate Complaint

Seriously?
Every time that I remember that I have a blog, I want to kick myself in the pants for not keeping up with it.
Maybe putting Post-Its up everywhere I look will help remind me?
Perhaps a tattoo on the top of my hand?
A reminder on our phone every day?
lol, idk. But I will try to be more diligent in writing, because I LOVE writing.


      I've had a concern weighing heavily on my mind lately. Something that I've discussed with Josh. Something I've complained to mommy friends about. And I'm sure I've even gone to my mother for advice. But I have yet to find a solution for this problem that recurs daily.

     This problem is bedtime.

     Bedtime, or as it's known in our home, "The Period Of Time When The Children Get Up And Play And Sometimes Cry And Avoid Sleeping At All Costs For At Least Three Hours", is a nightly battle that we seldom win. There is sweat. There are tears. And sometimes there is blood (from us pulling our hair out). And of course we know that as soon as we shut their doors and turn to walk away, they have sinister grins on their tiny cherub faces as they plot their next move.

     Ask me how many bedtime stories we've read. Ask me how many times I've sang "Let It Go". Ask me how many times potty breaks were needed but then they needed water, a kiss and hug, they forgot their toy at Grandma's House, and now they want to know what plastic is made of. To quote Cady Heron*, "The limit does not exist". Because it truly doesn't.

I've gone as far as Googling a generic answer on how to combat this. Here's what helpful tips the "parental experts" of the internet had to share:

1. Make sure their bedtime is early enough. 

2. Keep your child's bedtime consistent.

3. Let your child wind down. 
      
4. Patience and Persistence.

5. Use soft lights 30 minutes prior to bedtime.

Grant me a moment to share my thoughts on these suggestions. I couldn't keep scrolling through links after that last one. I just had to stop, because:

1. What parent isn't like "Dear Children, I love you. But it's been a long day. Please go to bed so I can enjoy 30 minutes of peace before I fall asleep on the couch pretending to stay caught up on my favorite show" ?

2. Aside from attending special events, like a wedding or something, I don't know of a parent that isn't counting down the final few minutes before bedtime. Bedtime will never pass by unnoticed in our house, so consistency is not a problem.

3. I don't know if the person who suggested this has ever had a child between ages 2-4, but this is basically impossible. From the moment my kids wake up in the morning until the moment they pass out mid-activity at night, they are on-the-go. 

4. Patience and Persistence is a solid piece of advice. Kudos to whoever wrote this.

5. Maybe it's just my cheap-mom practicality, but I will not have separate lights in order to calm my children for bed. The rest of my "persistent bedtime routine" for my kids should clue them in on the fact that it's bedtime before me going out to buy soft lights ever should.

     If I didn't actually enjoying sleeping so much, I would just let our little rascals join us in bed every day so the snuggling never stops :). Unfortunately, children don't understand the blessing that a solid night's sleep is to a parent. So let the battles continue!


*Cady Heron is the main character from Mean Girls. This was obviously a great quote that applies to many a situation. So if you don't get it, please do yourself a favor and rent that movie stat.