Minutes after Craig closes the bedroom door, it reopens and the nightly ritual begins.
Daddy? I can't find my lovie.
Lovie is searched for and tucked in next to the boy. Kisses, goodnight, door closed.
Next the door opens and little boy feet steal into the bathroom, conveniently located across the hall from his room. K? Go to sleep!
I just had to go potty!
Back to his room, he closes the door behind him.
Moments later I can hear the distinct sounds of a little boy playing.
As I approach his room I see that he is bold enough to even turn his light on. Why, when I was a girl and didn't want to go to bed, I at least had the courtesy to pretend I knew what my parents wanted me to do and left my light off while I played.
I open the door and he scrambles to his bed, as though he can get there in time and the light is not a dead giveaway that he is definitely not sleeping.
It is time for bed, K. No more playing. My voice becomes harsher, without me meaning it to be so rough. I want him to know I'm serious, but I also don't want to scare him at such a delicate hour of the night. The line between firmly soothing the child to sleep and upsetting the child so that sleep is even more distant is a tightrope walk.
He sighs. Okay Mommy.
He lays down and I pull the blanket that I made for him up to his chin. I lean over and run my fingers through his hair. I brush a kiss across his cheek.
Goodnight Buddy. I love you.
Out again, carefully pulling the door closed behind me.
Any given night, Craig and/or I will be in and out of K's room between 3 to 6 times. Each time we tell him that it is time to sleep. Sometimes we threaten that there will be no school, no special activity, no toys left in his room if he does not go. to. sleep.
It is at once frustrating and familiar, this child not wanting to go to sleep. I see in him, my stubborn boy, once again not listening-not doing as he's told, but also myself. I still am not able to go to sleep at night when I should.
Why, I wonder, do my children seem to inherit only the bad things from me?
Monday, January 12, 2009
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I used to hide under my blankets and use the light from my clock radio in an attempt to read books. I was never ready to go to bed when it was my bedtime...and that remains my curse!
We also used to have to set a timer for my oldest son when he'd go to bed in an attempt break his habit of wanting to get back up and down. I didn't think it would work, but I was shocked how fast it did!
I could never sleep when I was suppose to , but I had to be quiet so I had to use my imagination.
hehe your telling of it reminded me of the story Mortimer by Robert Munsch! Your little guy might enjoy the humour of it :)
J is doing the "coming out of his room, sneaking into other rooms" thing during afternoon quiet time. It gets frustrating when they don't listen to the simplest request.
I don't think your kids inherit only the bad things from you! Don't be so hard on yourself. :)
And then there's the famous line "I'm not sleep!" (with all conviction even if their eyes are drooping all over the place!
Must be very frustrating. We are having bedtime and naptime battles with Fly too. It shouldn't take an hour and a half for him to go to sleep! Gah!
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