It is understandable that bedtime may be mom’s favorite time of the day. It is the chance for her to relax, catch up on some housework or just sit and binge-watch some of her favorite TV shows in peace. She may even sneak in a snack or two. The jokes about bedtime and motherhood are all over social media, with a lot of moms venting about how much of a struggle bedtime is in their house. That is because it can be a challenge to get to that sweet time to yourself.
Bedtime can be one of the most hectic parts of a mom’s day, and that is especially true if she has more than one child. If her children are all in school, they all likely have the same or similar bedtimes, and trying to wrangle them all together and ready for bed can be a challenge. If mom has children who don’t like to stay in bed, this can go on for hours. By the time she has the last one in bed for the night, the first one is out of bed and asking for a drink of water or saying they have to go to the bathroom.
The challenges seem to be endless, but there are some ways to make this transition as smooth as possible.
Consolidate
Consolidate seems like a word that shouldn’t be in a bedtime routine, but it can take a lot of time off your routine. According to Snuggle Bugz, if you read every one of your children a bedtime story, get the whole gang together and read one bedtime story to all of them together. If some of your children are learning to read, they can take turns reading some of the story to their siblings. This is a great way to spend some time together and cut down on some precious time.
Teamwork & Independence
As your school-aged children get older, they can start taking on a lot of the bedtime routine themselves. Things like brushing their teeth, hair and getting in their pajamas are all things they could be off doing while you get the younger ones down. They can even help you with some of your other children. The key is to do as many things together so that when it comes to tucking and all you have to do is say goodnight and close the door.
Stagger Bedtimes
Not every tip is going to work for every family, and if doing things as a group is not going to work with your family dynamics, then this tip is for you. According to Good Night Sleep Site, mom wants to make sure she has a schedule in place and bedtimes should be staggered. This will typically go from youngest to oldest. This means that mom is putting one child to bed at a time. She sends one off, and then sets on to the next one. If a nightly bath is part of your bedtime, you may want to consider bathing children of the same sex together to cut down on some time, or consider switching up your bath routine and skipping days they are not needed.
Consistency Is Key
Regardless of which method works for your children, consistency will always be key. According to Semi Delicate Balance, it is important to be consistent with your bedtime routine. This is true regardless on whether it is a team activity or done individually. This can help children realize that it is bedtime, and that you are not going to allow them to sway from it. The more consistent mom can be with her bedtime routine, the quicker it will get done.
Sources: Snuggle Bugz, Good Night Sleep Site, Semi Delicate Balance