"Checking in" with the kids before I go to sleep.

[gemloving]

I don't even know if this is unusual but I just went upstairs to get ready for bed but I check on the kids every time before I go to sleep. It's become such an embedded routine that I find it hard to settle if I didn't or if I forgot, I'd lie there, get up and check on them, then I can go to sleep peacefully as if I know everything is ok.

My eldest gets a couple of kisses and I tell him I love him, youngest gets a stroke over his head and me telling him I love him (he's still in a cot, otherwise he'd get a kiss too). They're 4 & 1 (almost 2).

Do other parents do this or is this just me?

I still do this with my 17 year old but he's usually still awake when I go in before I go to bed but tonight he had fallen asleep whilst watching tv in bed so I switched his tv & light off and tucked him, it was lovely!!

I don’t actually go and tuck DD and her boyfriend in! They don’t shut the door until they are going to sleep so I will just stand by the door and say good night, if they start chatting then I will show my face.
I do also knock on doors before I go in. I have to because they are jumpy and I usually scare them to death as I am light footed lol

Mine are 5 and 3. I can't imagine not looking in to see their beautiful sleeping heads and whisper 'good night my darlings, I love you'. Glad to see it's normal, since God willing I'll be doing it for years to come 😁.

Yes! Before I settle down to sleep … and again if I’m up to use the bathroom through the night … and if I hear one of them stirring…no wonder I’m always bloody knackered 😂

My youngest is 8 and eldest 18 and I do this every night still!

Why has this thread made me cry??! I check in every night on my 7 and 4 year old, it makes me feel so happy that people check in on their much bigger kids

Just to add I do this as I can’t sleep without knowing I’ve made sure I know they are ok before I go to bed.

Christ no! I just go to bed. I told them I love them already when I said good night (still ‘tuck’ the 11 year old in), if they’re asleep they’re asleep. I’m not worried about their breathing. I’d probably end up tripping over something in ds room and waking him up 😂

Every night - DS15!

14 and 17 here and yes! 17yo comes for a good night kiss, 14yo comes for a hug. 14yo leaves his bedroom door open at night so I'll often look in on him as I'm going to bed. He looks like a little boy again when he's asleep!

I always checked on them from the doorway, can’t remember until what age. Dc1 slept like a log but disturb DC2 at your peril! A squeaky floorboard, too much light showing from the hallway, queue an hour of screaming.

I do this for my kids and they are teens.
They look so lovely and peaceful when they're asleep. and they're not fighting with each other

Yep!! 11 and 14 and I absolutely do.

And if DM is staying here, once she’s used the bathroom and is going to bed, she still stands outside my/our door and says ‘night both, thanks for a nice night’ without coming in - she can’t not! Same thing I think.

Always, sets my mind at rest! I wouldn't sleep if I didn't pop in to check on them both (aged 10&11) long may it continue 💕

I've always done this. Even now that they're teens 😂

Yep still do here, 18 yr old and 21 old daughters....kiss them both goodnight plus oldest daughters girlfriend when she stays over.....love them all to bits xxx

Yes always. I tuck them in then go back to check on them after they're asleep. Glad to see I'm not the only one!

Yep me too. DD16 still asks me to come and say goodnight to her. My DS is 19 now but back when he was very stressed with GCSEs (or mocks?) I once calmed him down in bed by singing the CBeebies night-night song!

Definitely. Have always done this every night just before I go to bed. Wouldn’t sleep if I didn’t. Glad I do as 7 year old vomited copiously in her sleep a few months ago, think just exhausted after being in a dance show. She would have been in even more of a mess, physically and emotionally, if I hadn’t found her till the morning

Yes I do and the eldest is 11. They look so sweet when they are sleeping and get into funny positions (have just repositioned DS as he was sleeping widthways across the bed with his legs sticking out).

I'd love to check-in on my kids (3-year old twins), but if I went near their room, they'd just wake up screaming.
Instead I look at them on their camera monitor.

I don't know if my twins are unusually light sleepers, or if most other kids on this thread sleep extra-deeply!

Not only do i do this but so does my DH, whilst mostly together we still check even when the other one checked literally 1minute before. Ours are still young too, 3&6 but I don't think we'll stop. I'm pretty relaxed/laid-back but somewhere in the back of my head is a "what if"

I always do and I think my husband does too if I'm not here - to turn their Alexas off if nothing else (they listen to audiobooks as they fall asleep). I love it, they're 9,7 and 5 now and, whatever mood they've been in during the day, I love how peaceful and innocent they look fast asleep!

Plus their at their cutest fast asleep 😂😂

My partner and I both individually check on each one of our four kids every night! Our 13 year old is still awake 9 times out of 10. We will always say “goodnight, love you” and turn music off etc.