Showing posts with label bedtime. Show all posts
Showing posts with label bedtime. Show all posts

Sunday, 4 July 2010

Bedtime merry-go-round

Having been spoilt for 10 days of only having 1 child to get to bed I'd forgotten how bad bedtime can be with 2...



  1. Child 1 upstairs, persuade into PJs, clean teeth, story, bed
  2. Go downstairs "mummy can I have a drink" (child 1)
  3. Take drink to child 1
  4. Child 2 "mummy I'm hungry/thirsty"
  5. Make snack for child 2
  6. All gone quiet upstairs so start child 2 on bedtime routine...
  7. Discover child 1 still awake
  8. Both children in PJs read them bedtime story into bed
  9. Go downstairs "mummy can I have a drink" (child 2)
  10. Take drink to child 2
  11. False sense of tranquility as goes quiet for 15-20 minutes
  12. Child 2 shouts at child 1 - "shut up I'm trying to sleep"
  13. Tell child 2 to move to my room to escape child 1
  14. Child 1 starts crying as child 2 has shut my door and he can't get in
  15. Child 2 decides to comfort child 1 by letting him join her in my bed
  16. False sense of tranquility as goes quiet for 15-20 minutes
  17. Child 2 "mummy he won't let me sleep"
  18. Evict child 1 from my bed by turning off light so he seeks bedside light in his room
  19. It's all gone quiet (after 3 hours!)

Monday, 18 January 2010

Just another manic Monday...

Boy I am so looking forward to not having my Monday's being as pressured once the day job has gone! Anyone who thinks that is a cushy number being at home with kids should experience a day the like the one I just had....

It started off fairly well (except for being woken before alarm clock by small person!) as I only had minor heated discussion to get daughter dressed and downstairs. The fact I didn't have to make her a packed lunch was also a bonus as it gave me more time to eat breakfast and put away last night's washing up. Just wish my daughter would listen when I start to warn her 10 mins before we are due to go out the door to actually get her last few bits & pieces together! Minor wrestling match to get coat on 3 yr old (who had chosen shorts to wear today - brrrrrrr!)

Of course as it was a foggy morning the traffic was heavier and slower than normal so we were only just on time to pick up my daughter's class mate for school run. Probably just as well we didn't get to school too early as O would have got hypothermia in his shorts! Realised I had left my purse at home so apologised for not being able to pay for lunch... out in playground put my hand in my pocket to find cheque book... rather red-faced return to kitchen to pay...

Got a pencilled in tea date with my daughter's best friend and her dad/brother which gives me a deadline for sorting out dining room! Strangely her best friend is also suffering from her parents breaking up.

On way home quick trip to smash bottles at recycling point with O (need to work on 3 month backlog!). Made the mistake of promising a magazine having forgotten that I had forgotten my purse - minor tantrum ensues...

Back to the house and just too late to prevent O peeing on hall floor (thank goodness its lino...). Helped him to clear away dinosaurs from sitting room carpet, hoovered and then set-up his farmyard. Just about time then to make him a healthy snack and then its time to head off for his swimming lesson.

Nice relaxing 30 minutes with the other swimming mummies whilst O raced up & down training pool and jumped in. Then lunch in the cafe so that he got a hot meal before nursery. Nip up the road for nursery, quick kiss and he was off without a backward glance.

I got home 1 hour before I had to leave house again. Lots on good intentions but spent the time sorting out Tax Return (hope I got it right), talking to Tax Credit people about job ending and requesting proof of Child Benefit from CB office.

Dash up A21 to get E early from school for a hospital appointment. Luckily can park free in church car park next door! Arrived on time but discovered that E had forgotten to give me purse back so no money for drink / snack... (think its a theme for today not having money!). After nearly 1 hour waiting she gets called for eye test - no change she still can't read chart with left eye but doesn't need glasses. Wait another 10-15 minutes to see next lady for eye drops in bad eye. Quick dash to car for purse to get sustenance for by now grotty 6 yr old... After 20 mins drops have taken effect so she can have a photo taken of her eye. Then another 10-15 minute wait to see consultant. He was happy to see nothing had got worse and we don't have to go back for a year!

No time to go home for tea before nursery run to treat E to Sainsbury's cafe, grab us each a magazine and dash to nursery before closing time to pick up O. Discover he has been a bit physical to the outside toys... My car has also run out of washer fluid so have to detour to garage on way home - put in fluid but their water doesn't work so its undiluted..

Thank heavens kids behave and for once O goes to bed like a dream as exhausted. E has minor paddy at bedtime about cleaning out hamster cage. So we try and extract hamster from cage, 10 mins later give it up as bad job... Not to bad a bed time for E though I did have to lift her out of my bed and put her in her own.

Downstairs and realise that I haven't had a proper meal all day so oven on and I am now waiting for my chicken pie to cook.... Going to resist a nice glass of wine with it and be a good girl and have some water instead...

Sunday, 10 January 2010

Mixed bag...

Probably not surprising that this wasn't the best day today after last night's high jinks...

Got confirmation over night that the soon to be ex is moving to Seattle with his new company. Need to look into REMO to ensure he can't escape from his responsibilities... Glad he is going so far away as no contact better than intermittent.

I managed to bribe kids out of bed in time to hike up hill to church. Gave me some much needed me time when they went off to creche/Sunday school. Also chance for grown up conversation afterwards...

Problems kicked in whilst I was trying to get lunch sorted. He spent lunch doing things like shoving milk cup around table and being sent to naughty step. Afterwards O very grotty and ended up being taken upstairs for a brief lie down. Managed to calm things down and then try to split kids up... Got O playing with Junior Scaletrix. E up in my room playing. Not sure if frustration factor or tiredness but game trodden on a few times so away it goes so I can do tea.

Saturday, 9 January 2010

Bedtime hell

We've all been there with the kids' bedtime from hell...

Attempt no 1:
17:30 son v grouchy & sleepy so take upstairs and try to snuggle to sleep. He appears close to sleep so kiss him and come downstairs.

17:45 phone rings and whilst I am chatting to cousin O re-appears looking sleepy. He carries on trying to eat supper whilst I finish phone call.

Peace reigns so leave for a while until O gets horrible again so... 18:30 attempt no 2:
Full bed routine with story in his bed, leave him and come down. Stroppy older daughter having paddy because she can't change TV to the channel she wants (kids TV all stopped as its 19:00)..

After few minutes she calms down enough to get in PJs and cuddle her hamster for a while.