in our house, bedtime is usually at 8pm. this gives the kids some time to settle down, and hopefully they are fast asleep by 9pm. sometimes micah gets some leeway since he's still in preschool, plus he's my shadow. so if i have a lot of things to do around the house, he gets up from the bed and looks for me.
getting them to get ready for bed and in the bed is not always so easy. especially when we're having fun playing or watching a movie, no one wants to go to sleep. so the excuses start.
here's a list of the most common excuses:
- but i'm really really hungry (micah's favorite excuse)
- i'm not tired (this one is usually followed by a yawn)
- i have a lot of energy still (malia's #1 excuse)
- but i'm still playing
- the movie's not done yet (and they've watched it before, so they know the outcome)
- but micah's not going to bed yet
- i need to find a toy to bring to bed first (micah's 2nd favorite excuse)
- but i didn't get to read a book
so when i remember, i announce when it's the last chance to eat again. and i announce that it's 10 minutes until it's time to get ready for bed. it doesn't always eliminate the excuses, but it cuts down the whining. and no whining makes a parent happy.
