Last week, I shared some of my frustrations with Mark about escalating difficulties with bedtime for Molly. She usually wakes up around 7:30-8:00 am each morning. It's difficult for us to get going any earlier than that with all of these overcast WA mornings! She's usually ready for nap/quiet time after eating her lunch which lands around the 1:00 pm time frame. After passing out for about 2 1/2 to 3 hours she's usually up by 4:00. It's pretty difficult to wake her up before this amount of time has gone by. At night she always has a bath after dinner and we proceed with our usual routine of lotion, PJ's and brushing teeth/hair. Reading a book and singing a quiet song or two have always seemed to lull her into sleepy time mode. At least that used to be what worked the best.
These last few weeks, Molly has been fighting the going-to-sleep process after I leave her in her room for the night. Lately, she's been going to her door and pounding with her fists to get my attention. I've been doing my best to implement what I've learned from a series called, Parenting With Love and Logic. Which, in a very small nutshell, gives her the responsibility of going to sleep however she decides is best. But she doesn't seem to be taking the lesson to heart. Almost every night I have a discontent toddler behind a closed door. Molly doesn't scream or carry on per-se. But I'm longing for the consistency with bedtime that we used to have.
Mark suggested that I begin cutting down her nap time. Which seems to be a likely fix. She's just so incredibly grouchy when she wakes up before she is ready! Plus, rest and sleep is so important for anyone, especially children. I'm hoping we figure out a solution, and soon, so that Molly can get the most benefit from sleep and awake times each day and night!
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Oh I'm sorry. I know how frustrating it can be when it's the same thing night after night. We go through that periodically as well. Consistency is the key. With how you handle it anyway. I think if I gave my kids freedom to go to bed however they felt was best, they would probably be awake til 10 or 11 every night playing before finally crashing in the hallway together, and that's just not enough sleep. Not sure I could ever give them that freedom. They are to stay in their beds. Simple rule. And if they don't, they get disciplined. I can't make them sleep. But I can make them stay in their beds. That's how we do it anyway, but I know you probably have whole different parenting tactics than we do! You always seem so sweet and patient with Molly, and I admire that so much!
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