Bed Time

For years, bed time has been a stressful occasion.  It still is, but we are either finally acclimating to it, or the kids are getting better at it.  Probably a little bit of both.

From a parenting perspective, we are total failures at bed time.  The "good" parents have their kids fed at 6, bathed at 7, asleep by 8.  While ours are usually fed by 6 and bathed by 8:30, they often don't fall asleep until 10 or 10:30.  We tried the 6, 7, 8 thing and put them in bed by 7:30.  All it meant was a 3-hour fight, filled with frustration.  So we gave in. We sometimes still try at 9, and Gill will go down.  But Jonas is hardcore until 10.

Often, laying down with them is a remedy.  Tonight, as I lay between the boys, I realized it was my favorite moment of the day.  Jonas was curled into me on one side, told me he loved me with his blue trusting eyes, and I heard his breathing slow and become a gentle snore.  He often sleeps with both hands cushioning one cheek. On the other side, Gill's springy hair tickled my neck as he lay with his head on my shoulder. They both love to cuddle so I often have one on each side. Jonas loves covers; Gill hates them. Bedtime stories (2-3) are a must, and tonight, singing became a tradition. Jonas and I sang "there were 10 in the bed and the little one said, roll over, roll over, so they all rolled and one fell out."  He likes me to do the math on the first end, and he sings the 2nd part. Gill began to chime in about halfway through.

Jonas then requested the farmer song with the wife and animals. Since Ed knows this one, we had to pull him away from his computer and work. He came up and we all lay in the double underside of the bunk bed and sang the old American tune together, with Jonas and Gill doing the "griffy griffy" animals noises.

Sometimes we have to let everything slide, give our children the attention they love and crave, and just enjoy these moments with them. I did tonight, and I'll never regret it.