Can we talk about how hilarious doing a toddlers bedtime routine is? If it wasn’t for the fact that it’s the last thing at the end of the day when I’m exhausted and barely able to stay awake myself it would undoubtedly be my most favourite part of the day. Heck I’d entertain a lot more of his requests just to see how much stuff he can come up with! The tricks and excuses my four year old uses to try and stay up later are an endless rotation of hilarity. Water? Needs it now more than ever. Lotion? Hasn’t cared about it ever in his life but suddenly requires his body be lathered in it! And hmm, how is his tummy? Why, of course, he must poop! But wait, after a few long minutes, it turns out he doesn’t. Maybe he’s hungry, he didn’t eat any dinner after all. And by the way, where is that obscure stuffed animal he saw one time and didn’t like but now suddenly cares most about? He NEEEEDS it to sleep!!! 

(two sleepy toddlers when they have finally run through every single stall method they can think of and eventually pass out)

Our Pre-Schooler Bedtime Routine

Our routine for our oldest (4 years old) is bath with his younger brother, pjs, teeth brushing, three stories, and then lights out. And I wish I could truly appreciate all the requests during each phase of this routine. But of course it’s the end of the day and I’m at the end of my rope and don’t have the time or energy to entertain it as I wish I could. But I appreciate it nonetheless. Good try little dude. My favourite extension method he uses, and the only one I entertain each night, is the final goodnight. We hug, we kiss, we fist bump, we pinky swear (?), we Eskimo kiss, we high five… oh there’s probably more that I can’t remember right this moment. But anything of that nature he can think of, we do, before I (or Matt) leave the room. It’s absolutely adorable. 

Matt and I have been working on finding what works best now that we are outnumbered. Before it was fairly simple. One of us would do bath with both boys, while the other cleaned up downstairs. Then, we would each take a child and do bedtime. Now the cleanup person is on Baby Girl duty. She’s a bit fussier in the evenings and we aren’t usually able to put her down (yet). One night she accompanied me for the three stories with my eldest. One night BB2 stayed downstairs watching a show, while baby girl took a bath with BB1. That was so sweet as he loved washing her up in the tub. He is truly such a gentle soul. And she was so enthralled with watching her big brother in the bath and bubbles. 

Right now every night is a little bit different depending on the needs. Maybe we’ll figure out a regular routine but I suspect it will continue to depend on the day. The joy of the third child is you know nothing lasts forever, so you’re able to really enjoy and give into whatever phase you’re in. 

I have to admit though, I’m anxiously awaiting until middle child is out of this phase we are in now. We’re going on night 4 or 5 of waking every 2 hours almost TO THE MINUTE. He wakes up screaming, which I fear will wake the other sleeping children, and yet nothing seems to please him. He mostly seemsx to want me to stay in his bed and sleep with him, which just isn’t possible, so leaves us both upset at each other at 9 pm, again at 11, and then again at 1, then at 3 and then eventually I send him into the spare room with his father to watch a movie while I try to get a little bit more sleep before the oldest is up. These are far from my finest parenting moments, and I don’t know how much longer either of us can keep this up, but little dude is VERY stubborn and he’ll definitely fight until the very end. Every day/night I promise myself to try and do better but the lack of sleep always gets the best of me and I end up pleading through tears for him to just go. back. to. sleep. (fortheloveofgod!!!) 

Writing all this has made me convince myself that I need to go to bed now. It’s 8 pm and I’m tucked in next to the baby so hopefully we can get a few hours before BB2 has his first wake. Or maybe we’ll be lucky and tonight will be the night things turn around. That’s the thing with these kids – you just never know when it’s your last night in each phase, for better or worse. 

Sweet dreams friends & fam.

– R

[spoiler alert: all children were in my bed come 3 am. send coffee]