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AIBU?

AIBU to get irritated at my children's bedtime delay tactics?

18 replies

user1470168439 · 05/08/2016 20:18

Argh.

It's the summer holidays, I've had some great days with my daughters (aged 2 and 4). My husband works long hours and I've not spent an evening with him since Sunday.

The girls usually go to bed at 7. It's 8.15 and they've tried all the tricks in the book to delay bedtime.

I've run out of wine (only had half a bottle in anyway, before the judgey mum's come out!) and I've just shouted at them because I'm fed up of going up and down the stairs for 'another cuddle' 'wipe my bum' 'I need a drink' 'can we watch a DVD' 'read us a story' etc etc

AIBU to expect over an hour after bedtime that they might lay down and consider sleeping, and thus giving me five minutes of personal time before their father returns home?!

OP posts:
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LadyFlumpalot · 05/08/2016 20:23

I'm commenting from my position at the end of my 2 yo dad's bed, which is the only way she will settle - I feel your pain. I hate bedtime.

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PeppaPigTastesLikeBacon · 05/08/2016 20:23

Yanbu to expect it. YABVU if you think your going to get it Grin

You have probably tried 10000s of tricks, but one I heard off a friend has stuck with me when her DDs used to get out of bed a lot. She would be sat on the stairs and just said bed anytime one came out of the room. They soon gave up when they realised she was there

Get DP to get more Wine

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HelloSunshine11 · 05/08/2016 20:25

Yanbu. My four year old has only just gone to sleep and has been a horrid little shite for the last 30 mins. I truly hate bedtime.

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TooStressyForMyOwnGood · 05/08/2016 20:31

YANBU. My three year old has just come downstairs wide awake. I also hate bedtime.

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BluePitchFork · 05/08/2016 20:35

yanbu
mine pretend to be interested in the proms as if

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redexpat · 05/08/2016 21:22

Supernanny bedtime technique works a treat.

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DoodleCat · 05/08/2016 21:24

Struggling too.. At 1 year olds cot stroking her through the bars desperately hoping she can't see the mumsnet glow!

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DoNotBlameMeIVotedRemain · 05/08/2016 21:27

My DS has been complaining the springs in his mattress sometimes make...wait for it...a springing noise! ConfusedGrin

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Beth2511 · 05/08/2016 21:29

My 20 month old has just started an annoyingly cute calling me in, going ''awww'' then giving me a cuddle every 5 minutes

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minionsrule · 05/08/2016 22:34

Wait till they get older - DS 11 tries the 'but i'm still hungry, you can't send me to bed hungry/thirsty' trick. We now have a deadline for announcing hunger/thirst - if it ain't declared, it won't work Grin

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foxessocks · 05/08/2016 22:38

My 2.5 year old has just discovered that if she says she needs a wee and a poo we will let her back out of her bedroom to go! She then sits on the toilet for as long as possible. We also had slurping a drink for ages tonight until we noticed she was slurping then dribbling it back into the cup! Argh!

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pleasemothermay1 · 05/08/2016 22:40

My son used to do this there was one day we're tbh I was knackered

I simply switched everything off and left him down stairs I couldn't be arsed

Took about 5 minutes and he wanted to To bed

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beautifulgirls · 05/08/2016 22:43

Yep, 6, 10 and 11 year old here. Currently we deal with them by sending them to bed half an hour early the next night if they mess around at bed time. They are quickly learning not to mess or they lose even more in the end! They have set bed times between them and once they go up have half an hour to get ready and into bed then allowed to read until the rest of that time has finished. Lights out at that point. Any nonsense they get a warning, after that it is enforced for the next night. Ongoing nonsense sees a week of earlier nights threatened but so far not had to enforce that one!

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SharonfromEON · 05/08/2016 22:52

donotblame your DS proper tickled me.

I can hear my 9 year old snoring from his bedroom while I am watching tv downstairs.

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HarryPottersMagicWand · 05/08/2016 22:57

Mine try it but I don't generally engage. They get shouted at tbh as I refuse to let bedtimes drag on for hours. Not that they don't try mind, especially on the evenings where activities mean we get home just after bedtime. They are always so hungry you think they have never been fed, then they have to go and see the pets they have ignored all day, then generally piss about in their rooms for no reason, then they want to talk to us about nothing whatsoever. They try and come down as they may be suddenly afraid of the dark after being fine for the last 8 years. They go to the toilet 10 minutes after going to bed and not needing a wee before and suddenly needing a poo.

We go up and get them ready, story, kiss cuddle, cover up and say goodnight, usually for 7-7.15. If they piss around past that they get told off and they have to put themselves back to bed unless there is a genuine reason for them getting up. I refused to engage with this crap from day 1 as I know I need my down time at the end of the day.

I remember when DS was a toddler, we tried the rapid return bollocks of putting him back without speaking etc. After 48 times he was still getting up so I went downstairs and left him on the landing behind the gate. He called down for an hour and a half and I didn't answer once. Eventually he fell asleep and I put him in bed. He never did it again!

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Playduh · 05/08/2016 22:59

Just found this thread. The 3yo has had me and DH in and out repeatedly since 7:30 thanks to a 'fly that go in my nose and ears mummy!'

Tried everything to catch the little fucker (the fly not DS) but no luck.

Seems to have fallen asleep now though.

after I fished out a dead fly from the bathroom light fitting, pretended that it was the offending creature and flushed it down the loo with a flourish

Wineall round?

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queenofthepirates · 05/08/2016 23:05

When my 5yo comes out of bed, I get her unloading the dishwasher/mopping the floor or any other kind of unpalatable task and she's not 'allowed' into bed until it's finished.
Mean mummy but it usually works and she's begging for bed.

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ijustwannadance · 05/08/2016 23:07

Every night without fail my DD waits until she is in bed and settled before needing a poo.
Then needs a drink/toy/other random crap/to tell me something/heard a funny noise etc etc.

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