AIBU to want to put my toddler to bed, read a story, kiss her, turn out the light and leave to enjoy my own relaxing evening, like a beautiful movie?

[LightHouser]

Yes, yes I am.

But I still want it.

[Theladyloriana]

I only just got both of them down.

[ThatsNotEvenAWord]

I'm still waiting for DS (22mo) to fall asleep. He's been pissing about since half 7. We're now lying on my bed to see if it makes any difference. And I'm pregnant so I can't even have a gin.

Glad to hear it gets better as they get older 😩😩😩

[IJustLostTheGame]

Yanbu.
Two hours ago I read dd3 the elves and the shoemaker, kissed her, turned the light off and skipped downstairs to enjoy my evening.

When it happens it's BLISS!

It doesn't always happen though

[Heifer]

is now not a good time to mention that my DD was 5 before this happened... 5 I tell you!!!! It wasn't until a good friend of ours had a baby who she could put in the cot awake, walk away and the baby would gargle for a bit and then fall asleep without any fuss.. My friend told my DD that her baby could go to bed on his own, so DD should be able to...

That very night DD decided that I could kiss her goodnight and I could leave her... We never looked back, oh until the next night when DD decided that it wasn't a good idea and she wished she had never agreed to it...

We didn't ever give in again, normal bedtime routine, book, cuddle and kiss, then we layed with her for 2 mins (and only ever 2 mins) and then left.. We had to go back every 15 mins or so, just to see her until she was asleep but it was a start...

Even now at 12 yr old she still asks for the 2 mins.. which occasionally I do, as I find if she asks it usually means she has something on her mind she wants to chat about....

Hope you crack it. don't wait as long as we did until you get tough ;-)

[FeckOfffCup]

Urgh I am so fucking fed up of the joke that is bedtime in our house. DS has just been poorly for the last couple of weeks so we've gone backwards with sleep by about a year.

I am still laid on his bedroom floor as I type this. He seems to be standing by his decision tonight that he is not going to sleep

[BeagBoo]

My 14 month old can't walk but can do elaborate handstands in his cot. YANBU.

[Verticalvenetianblinds]

Dh bought me toast, v kind of him but there's crumbs in the bed now! Not sure where he's going to sleep, me and ds are taking up the whole bed!

[SanityClause]

Gawd. Wait until they're teens. They disappear into their rooms after dinner, and you barely see them.

I really miss them, at times, and they're only a few rooms away.

[DrRanjsRightEyebrow]

YANBU. Im feeding DS again, who is yet to successfulky get into bed after another 30 minute stand off with him yelling to go downstairs. He's 28 months. I've also seen every hour on the clock every night for the past week. He's always been shit, the longest he ever slept, once, was a 6 hour stretch, but this is far worse than his usual 2 hour stretches! I'm actually dying. And i so wanted to watch game of thrones and eat biscuits this evening.

[Oysterbabe]

JUST got my 4 month old to bed. She's been smiling and squealing and generally not looking sleepy for the last 2 hours. Probably should go to bed myself as I'll bet she still wakes up at 2 for a feed.

[Notso]

This is one of my few parenting successes. My four have all always gone to bed with no fuss. it often goes downhill from around midnight though

[LightHouser]

I'm feeling pretty sad for dd now to be honest... it's roasting in this house even with all the windows open. She's sleeping in just a nappy for the first time in her life. Even I feel queasy from the heat.

[EnglishGirlApproximately]

Hmm, it's getting worse here. Ds used to be a great sleeper as a baby but is awful now. This is happening in my bed right now 🙄

[BillBrysonsBeard]

I love love love my 2yr old DS but closing his door, clearing his toys, lighting candles and getting my shows on (was Game of Thrones tonight ) is heaven. Thankfully he just falls asleep by himself even if it takes hours, but I'm prepared for that to change at any point..

[Titsywoo]

I remember this stage fondly . I think they stopped mucking around at night when they were about 6 years old. After the cosleeping and toddler fun years they had the whole period of mucking around together in their rooms after bedtime.

[smokeybandit]

I'm still waiting for the turnaround with my dd! I've let her get into this ridiculous routine of a story, then we have to do claps while counting to 30 (not sure where that came from) then I try to say goodnight and at that point she remembers something the ABSOLUTELY MUST TELL ME OR ELSE THE WORLD WILL END and gets mighty huffy if I look like I don't want to hear it! I'm actually half ashamed to say that but she's angel most of the time just a nightmare going to bed. But again, my own fault. Oh and we have to do a fist bump! Then she tells me 10 times she loves me and to have sweet dreams and she'll miss me till morning and can I wake her up as SOON as I wake up? I think she turns into a small toddler at bedtime.

[Onedaftmonkey]

Thank the gods their are other's going through this and it's not just us. to all of you.
.

[lornathewizzard]

Another one here going through an annoying bedtime phase! 21mo DD has on and off phases of going down by herself (which is great), but currently we're in a more often than not, not wanting to go to sleep. Doesn't help that it's so bloody light!
Tried lying on the floor next to her the other night but at 27 weeks pregnant it's not exactly comfortable. So last night, as with many others, I gave up and just out her in our bed. Still wanted me to lay beside her but it didn't take long at least. Hooray for our super king size bed!

[lornathewizzard]

*put

[FeckOfffCup]

http://hurrahforgin.com/2015/10/01/the-eight-steps-of-a-faultless-bedtime-routine/
This ^ is brilliant and very relatable, even though mine doesn't talk yet

[Craigie]

YANBU, and it's perfectly achievable - both my 2 have been going straight to bed since they slept through as babies. Just do it. Bath, story, say night night, then lights out, close the door & leave. If they get up, put them back to bed without saying a word.

[FeckOfffCup]

Ah it sounds really simple when you say it like that craigie

[NotCitrus]

Mine were great as toddlers. It was when they learnt to get out of bed and open the door themselves it got tough - dd age 4 is currently being a right pain.

Craigie - what's your record number of times to return your child to bed? Mine is 79 in one evening. I sat outside ds's room eventually and ran a sweepstake on Twitter! Advice like that reminds me of when I used to ask BIL for parenting advice - dn is a few months older than ds and BIL is a teacher. His advice was always "First, start with a different child..."

[Yokohamajojo]

Craigie - I have two DS with completely and utterly different sleep patterns. First one slept through from 8 months in his own bed, actively asked to go to bed because he was tired. Second one not so much! he wants closeness, he does not want to be on his own. Bit of a shock to my smugness

To all you struggling out there, at 6 it changed, now he finally goes to bed, reads a few pages and falls a sleep - There is hope

[glowfrog]

Craigie hope you enjoyed your moment in the smug-light. Thanks for your contribution.