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July 24, 2012

::the one where I have a bedtime epiphany::





As tiny babies bedtime was the sweetest part of our day. A warm bath followed by the smell of lavender and freshly laundered foot jammies. We made our way to that old rocking chair. The one passed down for generations and loaned out by my sister, her children far to big to rock these days.

I rocked ever so slowly holding each one tight breathing in their perfection. Songs were sung. Prayers were prayed. One last kiss and down they went for the night.

I dreamed of bedtimes filled with snuggles and giggles as they grew older. I looked forward to reading books like Anne of Green Gables and Little House on the Prairie. I made up stories that I could tell each night.

Instead of our nights ending like the movies with children snuggled close and falling asleep to the sound of their mothers voice reading and singing, our nights end in tears and frustration.

A yearning for peace caused me to approach bedtime differently. To change my posture and responses in hopes that she would follow suit.

Hey Eisley, I have an idea. Tonight when I say it's time to go to sleep you say, [okay mommy]. When I bring you a drink of milk you say, [thank you mommy]. We will hug and kiss and you will say, [goodnight mommy]. Okay? When you do that my heart will say, [MWOM, MWOM, MWOM]. Because my heart said [MWOM, MWOM, MWOM], your heart will say, [mwom, mwom, mwom].

We read a few more pages of The Little House on the Prairie and I started with the routine.

Eisley, it's time to go to sleep.
Okay mommy.
Here's your milk.
Thank you mommy.
Hugs & kisses.
Goodnight mommy.


I head towards the door and turn back with a smile...[MWOM, MWOM, MWOM]!
She giggles and lays down for the night.

*just writing with heather the eo

4 comments:

  1. Yes, bedtime is not always easy. And we have our share of both of these scenarios!

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  2. A little change in attitude can always help. Hope bedtimes get better for always... :)

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  3. Oh my, this is bedtime exactly for me. The baby days, the dreams of snuggles and giggles, the, tears and frustrations. I love where your quest for peace took you. May the peace last and last!

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  4. So funny how you wrote on this. I used to have the easiest time with my daughter. Then as time went on we strayed away from our routine (mostly because my husband started coming home in the middle of it and the kids would get hyper.) I started getting frustrated and strict....not enjoying it at all either. Then I realized that we read books earlier in the day and it's not required to read before bed to be a good parent. Now we talk for 30 seconds, pray and say goodnight. It's working too! So funny that we were going through the same thing and realizing similar things at the same time ;) So glad it goes well for you!

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