do any of you skip the whole bedtime routine thing with a toddler?

[Tutter]

tis an exhausting time in the tutterhole

a 2.8yo and a 6mo

an hour devoted to naked pegging it around (/kicking) plus bath plus nappies on plus pjs on plus stories plus milk for ds2 plus winding ds2

i don't mind it as such as it has the desired effect of preparing them for sleep

but i occasionally read an MN post along the lines of "must go put the kids in bed" and itr makes me think "i wonder if..."

I am far too much of a coward to skip the bedtime routine!

DS has never had a strict routine at bed like bath, story etc...

He usually has his bath at my parents house (mine isn't working) so can have it at any time of day; it's always been like that.

His "routine" is a drink and sometimes a story, then ushered up to bed... it takes about 15 mins (but he is 5!)

In answer though - yes, I do skip the whole shebang ... I can't be arsed with it to be honest!

I did tonight but only cos ds2 fell asleep on the sofa!!

tis hard work this parenting lark!

if DS is over tired/we are running late then yes, we skip the bath and just have a quick bit of milk and into bed

generally though we do the whole bath and bed thing

ds just has his pjs put on milk, then bed. he doesn't always drink the milk though.

I'm with nicky - things would fall apart without the evening routine

Ours are in bed by 7 and that's how I like it!

Nah - we need the routine, doesnt work otherwise. We try to drop the bath, but DS1 (2.10) gets really upset and demands a bath.

It is hard work, but the feeling of releif when they have gone - wow.

We have tea at 5, then naked time with books and puzzles and TV and then bath, PJ's and cuddles, milk and books.

Both were in bed by 7 tonight, DS1 just anouces I am off up now and DS2 (19) months follows

Yes, was terrified of doing it until they did it themselves once, too tired for all the preamble, jsut got into bed, no problems - life got so much easier after that!

Nah no routine here, he just falls asleep when he is tired.

They do have a routine but it is done and dusted in half hour tops.

Once we know whether we're riding the Ninky-Nonk or the Pinky-Ponk THAT'S IT!

Teeth and bed

Mine also don't have a 'routine' as such. I found that ds (now 4) always got more excited with a bath so I found it easier to skip it. I am one of the skanky Mums who only give baths oncea week!! My dd is 23 months and our only routine is pyjamas, bottle and straight to bed. Dd goes to bed between 6 and 6.30 and ds goes between 7 and 7.30.

I think it is all to do with the child and what they 'expect' with regard to bed time. I have found the lack of routine a really easy way to live as I hate routine myself and didn't want to feel like I had to do exactly the same thing every night in order to get them to sleep. But my two have always been good sleepers and I know if you are desperate to get your children to sleep a routine can be a Godsend.

DS developed a bath phobia, so we now skip the bath and it makes no difference. Sometimes he falls asleep over dinner if the day has gone tits up,in which case routine is me frantically trying to do nappy, teeth and vaguely comfortable sleeping clothes while DS reels around sleepily.

We keep the end bit of the routine: milk, story, bed. But we don't always do baths.

I take dd (3) up to bed when she starts yawning. Put a night nappy on her and clean her teeth then go up with her (she has seizures so can't sleep alone)
No bath cos we haven't got one and no story cos by then its 9pm and I'm shattered.
DD doesn't understand routines though.

no i love that time of day its our special time although as ive not been feeling well ive let himwatch thomas for short while in bed instead of story

but as a rule i love doing bedtime routine dont bath before bed as he sweats too bad but milk cuddles story and sleep or at the moment thomas then sleep

We sometimes do baths, sometimes don't.

I am a routine lover and bathed my kids every night, even just a wee shallow one. I only began skipping the baths (skip just one or two nights) when the DTs hit 3 and now DD1 is 7 she can shower by herself. Tis great on a Saturday night to fill the wine glasses, send them up to do their own jamas and join us for crisps and crap telly (just til 8pm you understand! I need my life )

Put Pjs and grobag on, into cot, story and light off. Couldn't be doing with a bath everynight, and its not very portable either, so an issue when away.

Nope. Ds is 3.11 and ds 2 is 14 weeks. We do the bed routine for both boys and they both go to sleep within 20 mins.

I live for bedtime some days....

We don;t bath everyday though

6.20 (after storymakers)
upstairs for changing into pj's with 'bedtime' light on (lamp not room light)
2 stories (1 from Nursery and 1 home story)
Kisses all round
Lights out

Ds 2 gets a quick 'boob' drink from mummy (not sure how much he gets as only do it once a day)

Night night boys mummy loves you

Downstairs for cuppa

Nothing I can't do elsewhere

Having a jealous moment here. dd goes at 9 cos I want to watch Holby. She can't sleep alone cos she might have a fit so I have to go to bed at 9 too
Not had an evening sans dd for 4 years now.

Oh needmorecoffee I'm not surprised you are having a green moment. Poor you and dd! That is hard for you.

Have not usually had the bath as part of bedtime routine, but am still doing the story though dd is 11 and ds 7. Frankly, it has turned into a way for me to unwind, rather than something they need to settle. And for this age group, you actually get to read rather good books

DS (18 months) has supper at 6 and barely lasts past 7. He eats supper, plays quietly for a bit, then cup of milk, cuddle, teeth, and tucked into bed with cd playing (currently christmas instrumental - have GOT to work a new cd into the mix), and he's off to sleep in 5 to 10 minutes. I love the story time but we usually do that a couple times during the day, and baths in the late afternoon or morning as he seems to be more alert and rowdy after a bath.

DS age 3. Bathtime is for when I've got the energy (and it's always a pain to get him OUT of the bath once he's in it), otherwise quiet play 7-7.30 while I'm reading the paper. Upstairs for PJs, brush teeth, wee, 1 story in bed, cuddle, mummy loves you, and lights out.
Then hold breath hoping he won't come out of bed saying his pjs itch, he's hungry, he's thirsty, he's hot, he's scared of the window...
When DH is around at the weekends it all goes out the window because they gang up on me and say he's staying up.
DD due next month, and hoping DS routine won't be too disrupted...