Me: “It’s time to go to bed.”
The Boy: “No. I need milk.”
Me: “Here’s your milk hunny. After you have your drink, it’s time for bed.”
The Boy: (finished drinking): “All done. WIGGLES.”
Me: “No more Wiggles. It’s bed time. The Wiggles want you to go to bed. They told you night night.”
The Boy: (sobbing) “Wiggles. Wiggles. Wiggles. Peeeeeassssse.”
Me: “No. It’s bed” (carrying him upstairs as he kicks and cries and begs for WIIGGGGLESSSS).
*there is some extra kicking and screaming as I lay him in his bed and say his prayers (which, let’s face it, were more for me then him). I’ll spare you the details.*
A few minutes later…
The Boy: “Milk peeeassse. Mommy. Peeeassse. Milk.”
(of course I give in- I mean, he’s thirsty right? and he totally takes one sip then pretends to drink so I won’t take the milk away. I finally leave the room, after about 5 minutes of him pretending to drink.)
10 minutes later…
The Boy: ” Uh-oh. Uh-oh. MOMMY- UH-OH!”
(of course, I go and look. He’s thrown his blanket over the edge of the crib. Of course. But it’s cold in the upstairs of our house, so I think it’s important to grab it for him).
20 minutes later….
The Boy: “Paci. I. Need. Paci. Peeeasssseeeee.”
(I tried to ignore this but, 10 minutes later, I go upstairs and get his paci. He laughs at me. LAUGHS at me.)
Me: “This is it. It is time to go night-night. It’s enough. Mommy is tired. You are tired. It is time to go to sleep. The Wiggles say it is bed time. Daddy and Mommy say it’s bed time.”
The Boy: “Up? Pease?? Up? Hugs???”
Me: ” No. Enough. Night night. I love you but it’s bed time.”
(The Boy continues to cry and beg and want hugs and kisses and conversation.)
6 minutes later…
Me: “OK, Mommy is tired. ENOUGH. It is night-night. I love you but if you don’t go to sleep, I’m going to have to call Grandpa and tell him that you’re not sleeping. That will make him sad.”
(The Boy lies down and grabs his blankie and tells me night night).
So there you have it- my every night for the past week, my Boy has stalled bedtime for a minimum of 30 minutes up to 2 hours. He’s not hungry. He’s not wet. He’s not scared or needy or sick or anything. He’s also sleepy- seriously. He’s just realized that he has the almighty power to stall bedtime for as long as he possibly can- or as long as his dumb mother continues to buy into those tactics.
Ok, you’re all right. I let him cry yesterday- I was alone with him, exhausted and didn’t feel like playing the game anyway. He slept perfectly through the night after about 15 mins of crying. So, here’s hoping!!!
Oh man I so hear you on this. Unfortunately our “bedtime” routine consists of laying Chaser down in his crib and turning on a DVD cartoon. I usually just set the sleep timer on his TV for an hour or so. I know it’s probably not the best routine but it keeps him happy and there have only been a few times that he’s still been awake when the TV turns off.
Oh Sarah!! I feel for you so much – you’re so tired by that point and then it’s just a fight. *knock wood knock wood* – I don’t have a bunch of fights at bedtime but we do have a big Good Night Wiggles routine….
I have to say I’m with Christine on this….close the door and don’t open it – he’s totally playing with you. They are SO smart!!! It’ll be so hard for you – but if your hub is home, then do it and go for a quick drive or something – he’ll be out before you get back… good luck – hang in there….my new mantra ‘he won’t be two forever – he won’t be two forever”
its tough to be tough because you think, ‘what if something is actually wrong?’ and then the GUILT if it is. Z is a smart cookie, just have to outsmart him somehow and it’ll probably involve tears (for you both). hope you get some rest!
“He’s not hungry. He’s not wet. He’s not scared or needy or sick or anything. He’s also sleepy- seriously. He’s just realized that he has the almighty power to stall bedtime for as long as he possibly can”
Once the door is shut – it stays shut. A couple of nights of of tears and you not opening that door and he knows the power will have shifted. Back to Mommy.
Geez – in the beginning I wasn’t sure which Sarah/Sara was posting with all the Wiggles business!!
That is EXACTLY what it is. Hee!! Good luck, lady!!
So…..Grandpa holds the power…..lol