To Say No Visitors After Certain Time?

[nobodygirl2023]

I have a toddler and another baby on way. We find that she eats better with an earlier dinner time so we start that whole routine from around 4pm before some chill out time, bath & then bedtime routine (which is taking longer & longer older she gets).

Protecting this late afternoon into early evening time works best for us as a family as we prefer routine.

AIBU to insist on no visitors from 4pm for that reason? Family keep suggesting they will 'pop in after work' etc (not for any specific reasons - just coz suits them better than waiting til a weekend or whatever). Being made to feel I'm being to feel I'm being too rigid & need to explain myself for saying 'No don't come'.

Surely this is a common boundary I shouldn't feel bad about?

My own sister has done this. Now I just stay away from the baby. The smoking I completely understand as it increases the risk of SIDs but yeah everything else was just too much for me. I'm too afraid of saying the wrong thing even though I've got three of my own so I just stay away from the baby and leave the room when she's interacting. I only hold her if she asks me to and when I want to put her down I ask her where she wants her. But I've only done that twice in the month she's been on this planet. She told me once she was struggling as she was so unsettled all night and all day. I knew what would help but just had to say "that's hard" and pull a sad face. Took her two weeks to figure it out. I don't know why new mums don't want advice from people who have already been through it? Especially those close to them who they've watched go through the same thing... each to their own I guess. But I won't be offering any advice. Of course I'll be there for her when it all hits the fan, but otherwise I'm just going to leave her to it

I agree with you! Stick to your guns & don't feel bad - it's you that has to deal with the fallout of an overtired, hungry, overstimulated toddler who won't go down! That part of the day is torture as it is!! 😆