OT-Bedtime Blues

[MaryKLady]

How do you get your kids to bed? I don't know if it is Kindergarden jitters or what but DD5 is driving me crazy! She is outright defiant. The rest of the day can go just fine. Even the few minutes before bedtime. But the second I tell her toput on her jammies, she goes ballistic, help!

 

[semo233]

Make getting into your jammies fun! Once per week, have breakfast for dinner and get bathed and in jammies before dinner.....uh, breakfast. If something spills on her, then change just as you would clothes.
Spend some special time doing something she loves...give her a pedicure, read stories for longer than you would normally, make a tent out of blankets...

I don't know if you have other kids or what your schedule is like, but I have found that the best talks happen when it is just the two of us and we're getting into bed. It's the best cuddle time too.

As she gets older, you will have to have some difficult or embarassing discussions with her. Being able to talk in the dark, without eye contact, proves to be the best time for many kids. We even had "the talk" in the dark right before bed!

My DD is almost 12 now and she STILL really looks forward to that time. I want to keep that closeness and it is a great way to do it!

 

[aka-mad4themouse]

I'm going to move this over to the Families Board. I'm sure that the parent there will have a number of suggestions to help you make bedtime less stressful.

 

[imthatgirl]

we just keep the same routine every night so there really is no question about whether its bed time.
everynight at 7:00 we watch a television show, its usually hannah montana, but it changse often.
then at 7:30 we shut the tv off and read a book. we all go up stairs(i have 3 kids) and brush our teeth. then they all get in bed and i take turns tucking them in.

i think if you keep it consistent its much easier.

 

[Mrs D]

I don't have prior experience with this issue, but my thoughts are perhaps to elongate the bedtime routine. Maybe PJ's go on 30 mins before bedtime but stay in the living room and read books. Then take steps to wind down, such as tucking in dolls or stuffed animals. Last maybe a few stories in bed and some cuddle time before lights out.

I hope this is helpful.

 

[Maggie'sMom]

Maybe try starting bedtime a little bit earlier. It could be that she's tired and on the verge of losing it, and the announcement that it's time to go to bed sends her over the edge.

I agree with the earlier poster who mentioned getting jammies on earlier. Then have some low key time between jammies and bed.

 

[cuppycake]

I, too, was going to suggest that maybe bedtime needs to be moved up. My DD(5) tends to get crabby about things in that way when she's too tired.

We also have always made bedtime our fun talk time, and it has saved us so many nights of arguing about bed. We get bath/brush teeth/potty/jammies, then we read a book or two, then off go the lights and we play little word games (can you tell me something in the kitchen that starts with a C?), or make up silly stories, or just talk about what we need to do the next day.

It has always been super fun, and DH and I sometimes fight about who gets to do it! We both love the time with our girls and we're hoping that it helps with all the talks we'll need to have down the road. Also, because we're right there, we've never had to deal with the get back out of bed for drinks/ etc etc. When she gets sleepy, she rolls over and we leave, viola!

 

[MaryKLady]

Thanks for all your helpful responses. I think I will move bedtime a bit earlier. Is 6 pm too early?

 

[cuppycake]

We definitely try to start our quiet activities after dinner. We try not to do tv or comupters and such...we'll play a board game, read, color, play cards. Things that help the girls wind down.

Depending on what time she gets up 6 might be too earlly for sleep, but to begin a bedtime routine or quieter activities, probably not too early.

For reference, my 5 year old (and of course they are all different, so take this with a grain of salt) goes up to bath/brush teeth, etc around 6:30. After that, potty, read books, etc, it is usually lights OFF around 7:45, we have our chats and she is usually sleeping a little after 8. She gets up in the morning around 6:30-7.

Best of luck finding something that helps. I do find that with school in, DD is pooped earlier!

 

[disneyandme]

We have started putting on jammies (do teeth and hair) right after dinner and whatever time they have left after getting ready for bed is free playtime-- usually an hour if they go right up and change, much less if they don't. I really has helped make bedtime easier since they just have to crawl in bed at 8pm. (My kids are 9and 4)

 

[wishtdream]

5 yr olds are defiant. During the school year we do jammies right after dinner. Then we have dessert and any free time. Lights out is 7:30 on school nights. Any tantrums move that up.