what's your bedtime "ritual"?

yo'ma

Mon, Sep 01 2008, 8:15 pm

I've basically had the same over the years. Now I have a checklist for the big ones, so they won't forget to do anything, and the little ones want me to go over it with them, too. Once the 3 yr old is in bed, I have to give him a kiss, rub noses, hug him, and then shake his hand. If not, he'll start complaining. Rolling Eyes

MamaBear

Tue, Sep 02 2008, 12:18 am

When my now 4 yr old was just under 2, we had a kind of secret handshake before the final good night:

nosie (touching noses)
right elbow touch
left elbow touch
nosie
kiss kiss (on each cheek)

I went to the hospital to have our second child and when I came home our routine was gone! Dh changed it in my absence. Sad

Clarissa

Tue, Sep 02 2008, 12:07 pm

With my older kid, we'd sing songs, I'd tell this story I'd made up for him, and sometimes I'd lie next to him and rub his back as he fell asleep.

My younger one is a lousy sleeper, and I'm just more tired and cranky dealing with two of them all evening. So this is how it goes at around 8:00 or so:

Me: (to the little one) It's 8:00. You're going to bed. See you in the morning.

(Later, to the big one)

Me: I'm off the clock. Get ready for bed. Good night.

Wed, Sep 03 2008, 9:12 am

the bedtime story is between 5-10mins.
Sometimes I will start bedtime 10mins earlier an we will lie on my bed or on the couch together an read a longer book but usually its just a short story in bed.
Then I turn off the light but I want 2 re-assure them im still there so I sing.
3 songs also very short.
2 versions of hamalch hagoel and ani mamin.
I love it cos I lie on his bed with him while the baby finishes his bottle an I can close my eyes for 3mins while I sing Smile

so its my mini-rest.
I wud say the whole thing takes about 15mins.
I find the more time I spend winding down with them the less likely they are to jump out of bed demanding water, food, toilet etc after I've left the room.

cubbie

Tue, Sep 09 2008, 3:11 am

First dd2 has her story whilst drinking her milk, then brushes her teeth, then we (dd1 and I) take her to her room so we all can do shema and hamalach hagoel together, then we sing her her special night night song. Then dd1 goes back to the lounge to play for 15 mins with her "small toys" (she has a box of toys that are too dangerous for her to play with when dd2 is around) then dd2 has her story and brushes her teeth and goes to bed.

mimivan

Tue, Sep 09 2008, 3:45 am

I leave a really long time for all this because my 5 year old likes to stall and because b'h of the new baby.
I also hate stress before bedtime Very Happy

I start at about 7:00 and they are in bed by 8:30.
First of all, I have to change the salon to the bedroom (change the sofa to a bed..put on sheets). Dss help me put away toys, take all dishes away, put on bed spread etc...)
Bath for the new baby, and I expect total chaos because I can't watch the other two LOL

Then I let my 2 year old play as long as possible in the bath while I nurse the baby and have a chat with my oldest (I sit where I can see the 2 year old)

Teeth are brushed in the bath (kill two birds with one stone...they spit in a cup which is emptied in the sink...just so you don't think I dump it in the bathwater LOL

)

Forgot to mention they get a cup of milk before bathtime because if they drink milk after they brush their teeth ewww! (if they aren't fleshig)

Dress the 2 year old, put the newborn down and daven the five year old doesn't touch his head...

I read the 2 year old his story while the 5 year old is in the bath...sit where I can see and check (we have a very small apartment). The 5 year old gets out and puts his pajamas.

I read them both a story (I guess all three if the baby is listening)...say shema with the 2 year old (all the time I have the newborn in a sling and nurse or otherwise comfort him because he's in that colic phase) He likes to be rocked to sleep in the stroller. Meanwhile, the 5 year old is reading himself a second story.

When the 2 year old is asleep, I chat with the 5 year old for a few minutes, say shema and lights out..
and then sometimes I collapse as well...

e1234

Tue, Sep 09 2008, 3:58 am

do you mean to say your kids stay in bed?? I really have to learn from the mothers on this site.
I'll tuck them in and read them a story. -- with my 4 year old unless I put her in bed at the exact moment when she is exhausted but has not gotten any part of her second wind and she falls right to sleep - then she is out of bed every 2 minutes for a bottle refill and then I have to tuck her in again and say shema again. I ended up saying shema just with her an average of 4 times a night.
My 6 year also usually comes out a few times. My almost 8 year old got a lot easier and since his bedtime is later he's exhausted and usually no issues.
My 2 year old needs to be rocked to sleep in her stroller. She refuses to sleep in a bed or crib (except for my husbands bed where she often ends up)

mimivan

Tue, Sep 09 2008, 4:01 am

e1234 wrote:

I put my 2 year old to sleep in a stroller so he isn't awake to crawl out of bed...(MIL says chaval I'm still doing this, but they need to be asleep, because they sleep in our salon and will wreck havoc if awake, so I have to make sure they are asleep) and I put my 5 year old a bit later than I used to ..(I used to put him down at 7:45 or 8 and he just wasn't falling asleep)..

With the oldest, I don't mind if he sits and reads a bit longer...

But lights are out when I say they are out (officially by 8:30...but sometimes it goes a bit over)...if they are thirsty, they can drink before)

cubbie

Tue, Sep 09 2008, 7:15 am

Yes my kids stay in bed, my youngest is in a crib, so she doesn't have much choice, but in big, bedtime is something that I'm VERY strict about, no stalling, no getting out (although occassionally my older dd will get out to go to the bathroom, but then she's straight back to bed). I guess because I'm strict about sleep from day 1, it never becomes an issue. 6.30 is bedtime for my younger dd and 7 for my older dd end of story. They both have a sippy of water in their beds.

Ruchel

Tue, Sep 09 2008, 8:54 am

It has become complicated over time!

Now, dh and I alternatively sing stuff (we try to alternate yiddish, ladino and others) to Mati while she is dirnking her last bottle. Then he brushes her teeth with that weird baby brush thing (not me because I can't see in the dark! lol) while I sing. Then he says good night and goes away, I do the shema while patting her head/rocking her a bit, and then I leave while saying "good night Mati, sleep well Mati, see you tomorrow Mati, I love you Mati". At that moment I reach the door and I run away, hoping she'll sleep LOL

It's fun to see that during the lullabies she gets up, she grabs me to be taken out of the bed, etc, but when shema comes she knows it's "the end" Tongue Out

She just lies down by herself LOL

chaylizi

Tue, Sep 09 2008, 9:00 am

my 5 year old dd- is in charge of pjs, tooth brushing & pre bed bathroom routine (unless it's a bath night). once she's in bed, she gets 2 books, shema & 2 songs. Then I hug and kiss her goodnight.

my 18 month old gets a diaper change, pajamas, and I turn her classical music cd on. then I quickly put her in her bed, tuck her in & run really quietly. hopefully it's a good night & I won't spend the next 3 hours putting her to sleep.

gryp

Tue, Sep 09 2008, 10:24 am

My kids have been playing musical beds. So first we have to decide who's sleeping where.
Then:
put all their pajamas in neat piles on the couch
take out their clothes for the next morning and make sure shoes and backpacks are where they belong so they can dress themselves when they wake up
stick them all in the tub and bathe
(I make sure they go to the bathroom so we have no accidents at night)
brush their teeth
send them to the couch in a towel where they find their pajamas and get themselves dressed
(I diaper and dress my 21 month old)
check their nails to see if they need cutting
Kiss the mezuzah
everyone hops into the bed they've chosen
Krias Shema, Alef-Beis, a few of the 12 psukim
a few more songs if I have time, we thank Hashem for such a nice day/ or instead of singing we talk about an upcoming special day or what life will be like when Moshiach finally comes, or other discussions like that
Hugs and Kisses for each one, cover each one
Bring them Negel Vaaser to use in the morning
turn off the light
spend some time talking to each one about his day and what tomorrow might bring
turn on a tape of their choice (although I'll admit to trying to get them to choose the ones I want them to listen to, LOL)
my 3 yr old and 21 month old fall asleep instantly BH
my 5 yr old doesn't fall asleep for hours after that Confused

my 3 yr old changes beds 3 hours later but sleeps well the rest of the night

My 10 week old is on his own schedule. (obviously)

Aribenj

Tue, Sep 09 2008, 9:09 pm

B"H both my kids are relatively easy. We start the routine at 6:30 and they're both out by 7:30, latest.

I bathe both kids (3 years old and 17 months old) and dress the older one in the bathroom while we watch the younger one splash. Then she goes off to play in her room while I dress the baby.

So tucking the baby into bed invlolves:
giving him a bottle
"discussing" his day (basically I just go over his day and stress the good things he did and explain to him some of the things that happened that might seem a bit confusing to him. Yeah, I know it's a stretch he'll understand but he seems to like it)
Then I sing shema and Hamalach
Then I put some yiddish lullaby tunes on his player and rock him for one song
I put him in his bed, still awake.

I leave the room, he cries. After 5 minutes usually he falls asleep. If not, I have to go in, otherwise he screams so much he makes himself throw up...

Then it's the three year old's turn...
She brushes her teeth
Uses the potty
We read a book or two
Shema
Hamalach
and then she kicks me out.

Lol.

I used to discuss her day with her too, but I guess sleep is more important to her...