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Does anyone else get so bloody bored of the bedtime routine, that they would rather let their child stay up, getting more and more tired, rather than move their arse off the sofa to start the whole mind-numbing ritual going, one more tedious time?

114 replies

FrannyandZooey · 28/06/2006 19:21

Goddddddddd it's dull.

OP posts:
Are your children’s vaccines up to date?
moondog · 28/06/2006 21:43

Bathtimes are looooong in our house (I run out of energy when it comes to activities,being on my own all the fecking time)
I have an armchair in there and read the paper while they splash/

I get bored with cooking too with no adults about.
My kids live on picnics in parks and woods (keeps house clean) of cheese and Picalilli rolls (don't make crumbs like a loaf)and apple juice.

nicnack2 · 28/06/2006 21:45

ds1 bedtime routine is so ingrained that he can be put to bed at any time of the days when you follow the routine. we were out to a christening the other week and i gave hime a bath in the morning and he then asked for his milk, story, and started back upstairs! Believe me it comes in useful when i an crabbit

motherinferior · 28/06/2006 21:45

Yes, but she implied very strongly that she now enjoys rather more variety.

And the 'night after night after night' was a bit of a casual throw-away line too...

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Pruni · 28/06/2006 21:48

Message withdrawn

dinosaure · 28/06/2006 21:49

The DSs went to bed some two hours ago.

DS1 and DS2 are still wide awake and gabbing to each other. "Mummy, we're playing the Shiny Show", says DS2.

I have had to get Very Cross, which I am not very good at doing convincingly.

mumfor1standfinaltime · 28/06/2006 21:51

nicnac2 that is so funny! Sounds like ds!

moondog · 28/06/2006 21:52

lol nicnac!!

Mercy · 28/06/2006 21:56

MotherInferior, you are a woman after my own heart. Pruni too.

tbh I love some aspects of the bedtime ritual. For example, now dd is at school I don't have much cuddly time with her. I like hearing her read to me (sort of) rather than the other way round.

I also now have to wake her up most days during a school week. If you have previously had a non-sleeping baby/child you will know how strange that is!

mummydear · 28/06/2006 22:02

When Dh is around he'll read them a story then say ' Mummy will read a story now ' ARGHHHHHHH !!

FrannyandZooey · 28/06/2006 22:04

LOL dear me you do read a lot into a little post

you have not got too much to be about, trust me

OP posts:
squarer · 28/06/2006 22:09

Ah, now Pruni... breakfasts are a breeze round these parts too (I know I know I know I know pride comes before a fall but...) 1 slice of wholemeal toast with a scrape of vegemite plus a handful of grapes and Come Outside is your Aunty Mabel.

TinyGang · 29/06/2006 08:18

I agree that bathtimes go on for ages.

Doing three (two of whom are my dd's with long tangly wet hair which has to be slooowly combed out) is never ending. Then the bathroom looks like a swamp.

I am convinced the neighbours sneak their children in the queue too - the procession of little naked bodies waiting to be washed, dried, tooth brushed and pyjamaed seem to go on forever.

Issymum · 29/06/2006 08:54

Story-reading fine, although whoever said further down the thread that she liked chapter books because "it's great to have a story with a bit of plot and character development", has never encountered the Rainbow Fairies series.

Bath-time good too - they splash, I sit on the loo reading The Economist/Grazia pretending not to notice any minor near-drowning episodes.

It's that ghastly bit of process in the middle. It always seems to come down to me barking instructions, the DDs howling, me becoming apoplectic and that nice Dr Tanja Bryson tut-tutting as she watches the whole nasty scenario inevitably unfold from her office. There is just soooo much confrontation to be had around refusing to get out of the bath, wailing that your sister is using your Noddy towel, choosing pyjamas, rejecting pyjamas, refusing to put on the pair pyjamas I've just rescued from the wash because you would only wear the Barbie Pegasus Princess ones, squabbling over whose toothbrush is whose, clenching your teeth shut so that I can't clean them, squirming so that the eczema cream misses your cheek and goes in your eye.... on and on in the nasty, noisey confined space of the bathroom. Agggh. Hate it.

fennel · 29/06/2006 09:39

we have indeed never encoutered the Rainbow Fairies books in this house. [superior parent moment emoticon]

happily for us none of the dds is into fairies.

Dior · 29/06/2006 09:47

Message withdrawn

motherinferior · 29/06/2006 09:53

Watch it, Fennel, or I'll send them something pink and fluffy. I have much to choose from.

katierocket · 29/06/2006 09:55

It can be like pulling teeth can't it. Trying to get DS washed and in bed time stuff is one battle then once in bed we get the constant "yes but...." "Um mummy I just wondered..." "Um can I have a drink of water..>" "Do you know my favourite colour is green..." stall stall stall until you want to scream

katierocket · 29/06/2006 09:55

LOL at TInygang's neighbours sneaking their kids in

Bozza · 29/06/2006 10:04

I agree about the dullness of it all. And I have phases where I am OK with that and phases where I am not. Our routine takes 30 mins with 2 adults present and 35-40 mins with only 1 adult. That is mainly because of extra story time. So if DH is away they go upstairs 10 mins earlier. This 30 mins includes a bath and a chapter of BFG for DS or 3 story books for DD. So reasonably efficient I would think.

Bozza · 29/06/2006 10:05

My MIL bought DD a Rainbow Fairy book for Christmas. DD was aged 19 months. It has not yet been perused.

fennel · 29/06/2006 10:07

my friend had 10 children. they had the bath routine down to an average of a minute per child. into bath, washed, out, dried. a neighbour's child was accidentally bathed and dried once when he ended up in the production line. he was too stunned to protest.

willow2 · 29/06/2006 10:19

Love this thread title. Saw it just as I was about to start the whole shebang last night. What I want to know is why it takes so bloody long.

Bugsy2 · 29/06/2006 10:28

I've curled up on the bathroom floor covered in towels before to maintain a semblance of "parenting" (i.e. being present in the bathroom to prevent drowning, stabbing with sea horse, drinking shampoo etc) while actually going to sleep.
I do this weird "extended patience" thing where my outer persona trys very, very hard not to lose her temper and speak calmly, while the real inner me is a thrashing, screaming, frothing at the mouth lunatic. The inner one has been known force her way out - frequently! I just want them in their bloody beds, breathing heavily, ASLEEP - so that I can look at them and think "awww how sweet" and not want to tie them into bed with their own pyjamas!!!!

imaginaryfriend · 29/06/2006 10:39

I've only got one dd who's nearly 4 and, so far, I've always enjoyed the bedtime routine. The bath can drag on a bit especially the refusals to get out and the attempts at instigating 'games' I'm too tired to join in with. But the moment we get into her room and put on a low light, have a cuddle and a story together, I find I really relax and it puts me in a good mood for a nice evening alone. Plus I love tucking dd in and seeing her nestled into the pillow ...

Am I making you all want to barf?

Greensleeves · 29/06/2006 10:45

PMSL Bugsy I have an inner snarling hagwitch who scares even me. The kids have only seen glimpses of her, but she is always hovering below the surface, especially at bedtime

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