Do you rile your kids up at night?

sooosie

After dinner we often play for awhile.  I try to get them to run around awhile, chase me, etc but DH doesn't think this is such a good idea.  He's trying to calm them down for bed.  Usually we finish dinner around 6:45 or 7 and beditme is at 8.  Around 7:30 we start getting jammies on, read books and calm down.

I think it helps them burn off some energy.  For example, right now Max is still in his crib singing and we put him up there about 50 mins ago.  There wasn't much chasing around after dinner.

Random thoughts but I wondered what others' nights are like.

Jen2124

Mh does this and it drives me crazy. I personally think riling them up before bed makes it harder to go to bed..but he does it literally when I am ready to start bedtime.

jettagurl

I usually get down on the floor with them after dinner....sometimes we talk...but usually its a human pile up.  I get the best little belly laughs out of the twins, and they have fun climbing over the big kids and I.  I think it's good to end the day on a happy note....regardless of how the day went, we all have a little fun together.  

Bellisimo

I do not, but my husband does.  My kids have never had issues sleeping at night, for naps or otherwise.  But I'm usually so exhausted by the end of the day that I'm ready for it to get calm, quiet and ready for bedtime.

shopgirl78

Jen2124:

Mh does this and it drives me crazy. I personally think riling them up before bed makes it harder to go to bed..but he does it literally when I am ready to start bedtime.

This!  It drives me insane sometimes but he gets home so late and they are just excited to see him... 

brightning

Yup. After dinner she brushes her teeth and puts on PJs. Then she gets to pick one last fun thing, which usually is some active play, and then we read books and she goes to bed. It works well for her because when it's time for her to lay down, she is tired and needs the break. Otherwise, she's a wiggle worm and talks/moves through the books.

UGAbride

Not intentionally, but that is their only playtime with Daddy all day so sometimes they get wild.  Usually they are playing trains or blocks with him, so it's relatively calm, and then we start bath/books/bed. 

Mickschick

I used to until just this past week. They were going to sleep every.single.night between 10:30 and 11:00pm. I felt like I was getting no time to myself and that I was constantly with the kids.

DH ended up working late every night this week (tonight was the first night that he was home before bedtime) so I got us into a new routine (tonight was night 4) and they were in bed and SLEEPING by 8:45. I've already seen a big difference during the day with their behavior.

 So now what we do is they get to watch tv while I'm making dinner. Once dinner is on the table tv is off for the night. (For them anyway- DH and I turn the tv on after everyone is sleeping). We eat dinner, clean up dinner. Tonight I introduced "chores". One of the twins will wipe off the table and the other one will use a dirt devil to vaccuum under the table. They think this is wonderful and I get to get the dishes done without them making a mess and/or under my feet.

Sundays/Tuesdays/Thursdays are bath nights. I try and get them in the tub by 7 so that I can get them out by 7:30 and then we get pajamed up, Morgan gets her hair blow dried and then we read 2 stories and they get in their beds. If it's not a bath night then we will come downstairs into the playroom (their time is limited down here during the day) and they can play with some of the "quieter" toys. Then around 7:30 we go back upstairs, and get pajamas on, read 2 stories and then bed.

 Some people find that getting all the energy out before bed works for them and some people find it has the opposite effect. I think it depends on the family and if it works for YOUR family then there is nothing wrong with that- I've just found that it doesn't work my ours.

AggieCouple

I actually wish we had the time.  If we eat at 6, by the time dinner's cleaned up, their teeth brushed, stories read, prayers said, it's 8:00, which is bedtime.  I can't wait for when they're old enough to push back bedtime, so we have time to do things like a family bike ride after dinner before they're due for bed.  Maybe not "riled up", but at least work off some energy.  

goodheartedmommy

No. Dinner's at 5. Rooms must be clean before dinner. After dinner they wash faces, put on pj's, and we turn the beds down. Then we sit on the couch with books until 6:40 or so. We also do puzzles during this time together, but they usually prefer just to have me read to them. Maile MUST be in bed by 6:50 at the very latest, with me out of the room by 7 in order for her not to take 3 hours to go to sleep. Since B shares a room, she's in bed at the same time. Ethan can lay in his bed with a few race cars or a book until I come tuck him in. If they played like that at night, they'd never go to bed. I'd be cool with a later bedtime (they do in the summer), but for some weird reason, once falls hits, they have to go to bed early and can't sleep past 7 am!

peekaboo716

Jen2124:

Mh does this and it drives me crazy. I personally think riling them up before bed makes it harder to go to bed..but he does it literally when I am ready to start bedtime.

This is the way it was happening in our house until I put my foot down. Now, the "rile up" time has to happen before bath, or before 7 PM on non-bath nights. The bedtime routine is calming enough to wind the kids down. If not, we add in another book.