How is bed time for you?

[Mumsyybx]

I'm feeling quite lucky and dont want to jinx!

I have 3.5yo and 1.5yo. We have a good bedtime I'd say. Me or DH take them up to our bed, we lay together have a little chat and then both are asleep within 20 mins. We move them to their beds. Eldest stays in his own until 5-6am. Youngest does get in with us about 1/2am and has same wake time. They're both asleep by 7.30 some days we go up just before 7 so theyre asleep for 7 if theyre tired after a big day out etc!

That might not be good in some people's definition but I recently seen some videos of parents saying about how hard bed time is etc. And I have been there

When my eldest was 2 itd take an hour to 2 laying with him trying to get him asleep then multiple night wakings. Youngest has only just got out of the phase of wanting to be in her pram or the car to nod off!!

But eldest doesn't nap now and Youngest we have capped her nap and noticed this helps our bed time.

How is your bed times ?

Bath (for the 4YO, 8YO has moved on to showers), read one story, kiss goodnight and leave. Bedtime has pushed back as they’ve gotten older but this has been our routine since about 6 months old and generally don’t hear from them overnight unless they’re unwell. We aim to have the have youngest in bed at 8pm, eldest at 9 but with it being summer holidays it sometimes creeps a bit. Youngest has a groclock to help with the light mornings as we had a few 6am starts and it goes green at 7.

Sounds absolutely fine to me. They will go into their room and read a book or quietly play or listen to an audiobook and fall asleep on their own when they’re ready. Independence with sleep comes in stages and I’m all for doing what’s easy. Ours slept with us until they didn’t need to anymore and it was easy and no big deal. They are 7 & 12 now and great sleepers.

Different things work for different people. Personally I wouldn’t want to have ours in our bed so our routine is tea, bath, 2x stories in bed, lights out and off to sleep. She’s asleep within 10 mins of me leaving the room every time. Whole process takes 45 mins from starting bath time to her being asleep.

Jesus, I'm often on threads when things are going well for me so for the sake of balance i will confess

Bedtime is crap here and pretty much always has been

Nagging them to come up for their bath
Endless negotiations
Water
Cuddles
Badgering for more books

They are 8, nearly.6 and 2.5

The 8 year old after years of faffing (up and down the stairs, crying, etc) is a doddle

The nearly 6 year old is dreadful - improving, but messes around most nights

The 2.5 year old will lie and shout in her cot for ages even if she's shattered.

I don't think I'm even answering the question, just venting. Bedtime drains me and I don't like it one bit. Seems to go on for hours.

I like the rest of my time with them though, honest...