on Bedtime

The hardest part of putting children to bed is in the age groups of the children you have.
The closer the age groups the harder it is because their bed times are so close together that before the younger ones are asleep (sometimes) the older ones wake them up when they go to sleep and so on!

The 4 and 6 year old go in their beds at 7:30pm. We try to make sure by this time we are
all bathed, brushed teeth, drinks upstairs, clothes laid out for the next day and night lights on for book time. Library books are on the sides of the bed and we begin to read and calm down.

By 8:00pm they are settled quietly and have 30 minutes before the 8 and 10 year old are
to head into the bedroom next door. The 8 year old is to be in bed at 8:30 reading for 30 minutes and the 10 year old, who reads endlessly, at all times, must just be in bed at 9:00pm.

At 9:00pm I am in the room with them tucking them in, saying good night, asking about their plans for the next day;

At 9:30am the 12 and thirteen year old......stroll into the room and if they scent the 8 and 10 year old are not asleep, well then its PARTY TIME!

Its really hard to not inwardly enjoy the four brothers playing chipmonks and seeing three in one bed with their heads peeking up to see if I see them from the 4th bed!

Its really hard to force sleep, when these are the times they will remember, these are the times that will bond them together as brothers.

Some times I kiss them all and leave the room...trailing are my words...there is school tommorow not to late! They always wake up fine !

Tonight the 8 year old gets pulled out of his bed, and bangs his head and
I am forced to punished all of them for thier poor decision of play!

Sometimes I just stand outside the room door, and though I am not listening to the words, I am not intriduing, I am just in the mist of their moments of joy !

I am so happy they I am able to have four boys room together and I hope to keep things
this way as long as I can !

It is sometimes hard, but it is worth it !