Working evening hours

creativemommyto3

Mon, Jun 01 2009, 3:09 pm

Hi, I work evening hours (US time) and my husband is thinking of working the same hours .. Today was my first time doing bedtime solo and my 7 and 6 year old have been so mischievous , laughing and taking advantage of the fact I am not paying attention.
does this mean that they are getting too old for me to shove them in bed and for me to find a new job? or is there a way to get them to go to sleep faster?

btMOMtoFFBs

Mon, Jun 01 2009, 3:17 pm

Can they listen to story cds on a walkman (each with his/her own) or keep a tiny light attached to the bed frame which they could use to read books independently in bed? Even a little notebook and some colored pencils or activity book (mazes, dot to dot, word find, etc.)

Anything that is a quiet, in-bed-only activity which they have to do independently might work.

Hatzlacha.

Mrs.K

Mon, Jun 01 2009, 3:22 pm

CreativeMommy, if I recall, we work for the same company, no? Let me tell you, I know EXACTLY what you are talking about.

When I'm doing bed time solo, the first thing I do is punch out! (Not sure if you have a time clock. If not, mentally punch out.) Because if I'm half with them and half with work, then even the slightest little thing will make me frustrated and short with them.

Next, develop a routine that you CONSISTENTLY stick to, and that they KNOW is pretty much non-negotiable. Like one bed time story of their choice, shema, tuck them in, Zehoo. They know they have those 15 minutes, and if they come out afterward, they will have to handle the issue themselves as you will be back by the computer. My kids know that after story, shema, and tuck, anything they come out of bed for, they will be handling on their own. (As in, "You're thirsty? There's a water bottle in the fridge, take quickly and back to bed.) (Obviously, I don't mean emergencies.)

As I said, the most important thing for me is to be totally with them for those 15 minutes because if not, I'm too tense, and in turn they're too tense, and it all just backfires.

(Personally, I think internal emails should be sent around with these sort of tips since we're all in the same boat, but no one asked me.)