Bedtime

Bedtime...it's that wonderful time of day when you finally begin to see the light.  Baths, teeth brushing and story reading.  A peaceful transition in the  house as things become quiet.......NOT!

In my house it's not always so peaceful.  Anyone who has had a 2 year old knows they can at times be defiant.  Add in a new baby and let's just say there can be anything but peace in the house.  Bath time usually goes pretty well expect for the baby crying in the his bouncy seat and by the time I chase down my 2 year old and take his clothes off while he's kicking and screaming I'm pretty tired.  I don't know why he can't just remember that he has fun and gets to play in the bath....no he has to say, "NO" a thousand times and try every trick in the book to get out of it.  Hince the reason my newborn is crying by the time I finally get his brother in the bath.  If only he saw things the way I did he would jump right in the bath without a fight (and in a perfect world wash himself)...I can dream can't I!  After bath it putting on pj's and brushing teeth, then story time.  Hubby is usually still at work so all this is a fight I have to do on my own.  After a few stories and stalling techniques I leave my first born in his room to fall asleep by himself.  Usually there's lots of crying at the door and pleading for one thing or another.  As time has passed I have become stronger and only occasionally go back to comfort him.  What I can't figure out is why he can't figure out that bedtime is bedtime and he's not going to get out of it.  One day I will be able to tell him all about his bedtime behavior and he might even tell me he's sorry when he has children that do the same to him.  Don't get me wrong, he does sometimes go right on to sleep without any trouble and the length of the crying has decreased quite a bit.  But I'm looking forward to the day when there is no struggle at all.  Of course by that time I will probably miss the calls for, "MOMMY."  It's nice to be wanted.

What do your kids do at bedtime?