Manage the Bedtime Bedlam

My kids tend to get hyper at bedtime. And sometimes it is hard to get them in bed and get them to stay there. So I developed a routine that I like that works for our family and helps get them into bed without much fuss.

Routines work great in our house. Especially at bedtime. This lessens the whining and the crying about it being time for bed because the kids know how it goes. If we leave something out of the routine they know it, and they let me know. Even the 2 year old has reminded me that we need to sing a song. They also know that when I say it’s time to get in pajamas that bedtime is near.

We try to be in bed before 8 o’clock. Our bedtime routine usually starts around 7 o’clock and goes something like this:

Get in pajamas
Put away dirty clothes
Sing a song
Read a scripture story
Pray together
Brush teeth
Get in bed with lights out

I like to start the routine at 7 because things don’t always go smoothly. Some nights kids are super tired and everything seems impossible, their feet are full of lead, tears flow freely, and tough little children turn into limp noodles. Other nights I get to enjoy the hyper silliness, the kind that shows up only at night:

Bedtime really can be SO much fun! If we get through the first part of the list pretty quick then I will let one kid choose an extra book for us to read. We all get snuggled in on the couch together and they love it! And I love having them all snuggled in close to me. When Daddy is the reader it is really fun!

When starting a new routine, I’ve learned that it is good to decide before hand what you want to do, and then stick to it, no matter what, for at least a week. Kids, lots of times will resist change, but if they see that it is here to stay, they will adapt pretty quick.

Since we’ve had our same routine for a long time, to keep things interesting we will sometimes race. The older kids can dress themselves so we see if I can get the younger ones in pajamas before the older ones change their clothes.

Or I will let them mix up the order of the routine with questions like, “Do you want to sing first or read first?” or “Do you want to brush teeth before prayer or after?”

Sometimes I will pretend that I’ve forgotten what we do to get ready for bed. They just love reminding Mom what we do next. 🙂 They like to feel like they are in charge and that it is their bedtime. Not just bedtime imposed by Mom.

Having a routine is great for when we are late getting to bed. We just work our way through the list as quickly as possible. Since the kids know what is coming, and I know what is coming, we can cruise right through it all and get right to bed.

When they climb into bed we have another mini-routine. They each get asked if they would like a tent or no. A ‘tent’ is just when the blanket covers their body and their head. I usually know which kids will say yes and which will say no, but I still ask anyway. It’s one more way that bedtime is theirs. They each get a hug and a kiss from Mom, which is non-negotiable, and then the lights go out.

Then the next problem is getting them to stay in bed and go to sleep. But that’s another post. 🙂