Do you ever hit the wall?
So, I have lurked here on and off, never really posting. But I had a question and thought that this would be the best board to ask.
So I don't have 2 under 2, but my DS just turned 2 and DD is 6 mo. So my DH works from about 2 or 3pm till 11:30 or midnight. That leaves me with dinner time, bath time and bed time (which I am fine with). I have a good routine down, and we have gotten used to bath time. My problem is bed time, DS goes to bed at 8:30 every night, but DD usually doesn't fall asleep until around 10. How do you deal with putting your toddler down with a baby too?
And no matter how much coffee, diet coke or other caffeinated beverage I drink I find myself hitting a wall at around 7:30 every night. Does anyone have any tips on how to push that wall back maybe?
TIA!
Re: Do you ever hit the wall?
Go Bucks!
Your LO's have such late bed times! I'd go insane. I've been doing the bedtime routine solo lately, and it's hard. We start at 6:45 with bath. My DD goes in the big tub and my DS is in the tummy tub. That way I can have my hands on both of them. He gets out first - and dressed on the floor next to the tub. Then it's her turn. Then we go into DD's room and read 2 books together. DS sits on the floor while she sits in the chair with me. When she goes into her crib, I take him to his room to nurse. I'm usually done with everything by 7:30...
Yeah, their bed times are kind of late. But DS naps for a long time in the afternoon (goes down at 12:30 and has slept until 3:30). So I like to give him some time to get all his energy out. DD goes to sleep pretty late true, but she will sleep until around 9 or 10 in the morning, so it balances out.
I give them a bath together too, and it works great! But bed time comes around and DD wants to be held, so when I am reading books to DS she is in her crib or on the floor and fusses. I'm not sure what to do about that.
ETA: GO BUCKS!! Lol
I agree their bedtimes are late, but my son wakes at 645 so he needs to be in bed by 8 the latest. I do bath every other night together, and then dress them. I give DS a snack and turn on a 20 min netflix show and he will stay in the living room near her bedroom. He will sometimes sneak in, but i make sshhh noises and he whispers then leaves.
they are easier now since they like to read books together, but I still need him out of the room when I put her down.
My advice: Put your kids to bed earlier! MUCH earlier!
My DH for deployment this past May the day before my son turned 6 months and my DD was 21 months. He is still gone. I have been doing this awhile.
My routine in the evenings is something like:
Dinner: 5:30-6
Play, clean up play room, hang out: 6-6:30
Bath, books: 6:30-7 (typically I bath them together, get DS and DD in jammies, read 3 books to both of them in DD's room, leave DD with a book in her chair while I go rock and put DS in his crib, then go back to DD and read her one more book alone and tuck her in for the night)
Lights out: 7ish (no later than 7:30)
I usually bath my kids together, but if they are having a tough day (and are annoyed with each other) I will bath my younger one first, read a few books to him (while DD plays) and then put him to bed first (around 6:45) then bath DD and read to her and put her down at 7:15ish.
If my kids didn't have an early bedtime I'm not sure what I would do. I hang out with a lot of military spouses and the vast majority have a very early bedtime routine to help save their sanity (not to mention be able to keep the house somewhat clean and organized). I NEED the time between 7 and 10 in order to keep everything from being a total mess. I also need the time to just unwind, have a glass of wine, read my book, play on the internet, etc.
Good luck to you!
Married 6/28/03
Kate ~ 7/3/09 *** Connor ~ 11/11/10
4 miscarriages: 2007, 2009, 2013, 2014
*~*~*~*~*
No more TTC for us. We are done, and at peace, as a family of 4.
"Suffering has been stronger than all other teaching, and has taught me to understand what your heart used to be. I have been bent and broken, but – I hope – into a better shape.” — Charles Dickens
This sounds really similar to our routine...
Thanks ladies! My problem is not really the time they go to bed (thought you are right and I will work on getting them to bed earlier), but rather how to logistically do it. There isn't anywhere to put my 6 month old where she doesn't scream until I pick her up again. And with her screaming it becomes hard for my 2 year old to start to relax during story time.
I have tried holding her and sometimes she will sit still for me, but most of the time she starts to spin in my arms and fusses.
I flipped your kids around, I was thinking your DD was older. So the littler one goes to bed later I see. Well DD did this for a while and I put her in a play pen with toys or in her swing just for the time when I put DS down. I would read him a book alone and then have her on the floor if she would be fine. If she isnt then hold them both, read abook or 2 and then put DD in a playpen and make bedtime pretty short and sweet for DS.
I think you may have to cut the nap shorter for the baby so that she goes to bed earlier. Its way easier to get the younger one down first IMO.
Good Luck.
I acutally think your kids' bedtimes are rather normal. But DH and I are nightowls so maybe our kids stay up late to thers too. Have you tried introducing your DD to a jumparoo yet? I realize it may not be relaxing for your DS to hear her laugh and giggle, but it's better than screaming and crying. Or put her in a pack n play with a bottle?
I don't have much advice for how to keep going when you want to crash. Is there any time of day when the kids nap together so you could nap too? (Yes, I know that's also when you need to do dishes, etc., but making you feel better for the rest of the day is important, too.) Or possibly go for a brisk walk with the kiddos around 6:30 and see if that perks you up?
Your DD will likely settle down in a few weeks and be able to spend more time entertaining herself. No matter how rough it is right now, at least these stages usually go fast. Good luck!
DH and I are night owls too. We have both worked in professional kitchens so our clocks got stuck on a slightly nocturnal schedule.
I wish they would nap together, lol. They trade off, DS naps and then DD naps. Sigh.
The walk is a good point, I'll have to try it.
We are working on DD becoming more independent.
My son is about the same age, and naps on a similar schedule. He still goes to bed at 7pm. Try moving up his bedtime and see what happens.
If that wouldnt work get a baby carrier and wear her while you put the oldest to sleep.
Yeah I figured. Ha ha. I totally know how that is. I was just hoping for your sake, that you have better luck than I do in the simultaneous nap department.
I never thought of that! I'll give it a try. Thanks
I guess the easy, temporary fix would be a baby carrier. But honestly, considering their ages I would really work on flip flopping who goes to bed first. My LOs are 15.5 months apart. In the beginning my baby went to bed after my toddler. Now she's 7.5 months old and my son is almost 2. Considering the cue's she's shown us and her developmental needs it's just more appropriate to put her to bed first. We had to completely redo our schedule to make that work though. Now it looks like this:
6:00 bath time together (every other night)
6:30 nurse/bottle feed baby while toddler does calm activity near us
6:45 take baby to room for story, sleep sack, and goodnight cuddles while toddler watches short tv show (This is a treat that really keeps his attention, I guess if the tv was on other times it wouldn't be effective. Also, if he's calm and just wants to be with Mommy too then he can join us for baby's story time but consistency has taught him it's her time to get my attention and her time to be held. He knows he's time for that is coming soon.)
7:00 baby is her crib and I hang out with toddler while I watch the monitor to see that baby is falling asleep
7:15 take toddler to room for story, teeth brushing, sleep sack, and goodnight cuddles
7:30 toddler is in his crib
BTW two hours for my baby and four hours for my toddler is enough wake time between nap and bed to allow for a smooth bedtime without wrestling overtired behaviors.