Hey there, self proclaimed worst sleep trainer ever here to share our bedtime routine with you. 🤣 I don’t really have all the tips, but I figure a little solidarity to all those in the same boat is nice. AND I do want to share one top that has made a HUGE difference in our bedtime routine.
Our Bedtime Style
When it comes to bedtime, we are not the perfect read a few stories, sing a bedtime song, snuggle and off to dreamland type of family.
By the time dinner is over, the house is picked up and the kids are in jammies… Nick and I are exhausted. Wrangling four kids ages six and under is a brutal task. We are more of a watch a show before bed type of family. Now, I don’t want to say this without sharing that we read a TON during the day. Reading is not lost because of this. We read several pictures books and usually an hour or so of a chapter book during rest time. We also have no tv time during the day, except on the weekend you can occasionally find us watching HGTV 🏡 with the kids.
Our Mistake
Over the last few months, I think through summer and into fall and winter, bedtime kept getting later and later. After Sophie was born, bedtime had been pushed all the way to 8:00 or after some nights. It seems like, “keep ‘em up so they are tired and will fall right asleep,” should work like a charm.
NOPE- BACKFIRE
Bedtime had become a huge struggle, full of tears and frustration. We were at a loss and need to figure it out… FAST.
While the big kids watch shows with Nick, I take Sophie up stairs and rock her to sleep. During that time, I love enjoying the quiet and just some time for me (and Sophie 💗). It’s also a good time to think. So I came up with a plan.
The Plan
It’s really simple. We started putting the kids to bed earlier. We decided to let them watch one show and turn the tv off at 7:15. Then we offer them a final snack, since they were always “hungry” before bed. After that, we head upstairs to brush teeth, go potty and hit they hay. The plan is to be in bed by 7:30.
OMG
What a difference this has made. They never ask for a snack anymore. I think that was a overtired coping mechanism. And most importantly, there is NO crying before bed… ok…. knock on wood… hopefully now that I actually typed that out and shared it with the world, I haven’t jinxed it now!
We were worried that by putting them to bed early they would have trouble falling asleep, but actually it’s been the opposite. They fall asleep easily within 15 minutes or so with no (or little) whining. It hasn’t changed their wake up time either. So that’s a win win.
Bedtime Made Easier
Here are a few other factors that have helped in what we call bedtime success.
- All 3 big kids sleep in the same room.
- We lay with the kids until they fall asleep.
- If they wake up in the middle of the night, we lay with them or have them snuggle in with us.
- Although this has gotten so much better with the earlier bedtime too.
Bedtime had really gotten a lot easier. And the fact that they are staying in their beds more is life changing. All that being said, I do need to report that I woke up this morning with all 4 kids in bed with me. 🤪 But I’m pretty sure the first one didn’t arrive until 5:00 am, so that’s not too bad.
Sophie’s sleep schedule and routine is a whole other story. If you’re interested, I’d be happy to share that sometime too.
If you have any questions or want to know more, feel free to leave them in the comments. I always love hearing from you.
