Bedtime Rules

We are pretty strict about bedtime here at our house. Jody and I decided early on in our parenting that getting enough sleep is not only important for our kids but also for the parents! Once the kids go to bed its mommy and daddy time uninterrupted.

I have a few funny things regarding recent bedtime happenings after I share our typical bedtime routine. I know that this routine isn't doable for everyone. I talked to another mom from Hattie's preschool class the other day. Her husband doesn't come home in the evenings until 8:30 or so. But it definitely works for us! Everything in our routine is subjectible...it depends on what we have been doing, like church activities, or something like that. So these times are give or take 15 minutes.

Jennings Bedtime Routine

6:45 Bath
7:00 Brush teeth, pj's on
7:15 Read books (usually everyone picks their own book and we read all together)
7:30 Each to their own bed, pray, lights out

Jennings Bedtime Rules

1. You are not allowed out of your bed for any reason. Permission can be given to use the bathroom.
2. Call backs are for emergencies. (Jody says this sounds like we are MEAN parents, but come one. You all know that stalling at bedtime can result in NUMEROUS call backs for random, unimportant things)

Recent Bedtime Happenings

Silas: He told me one day recently that he has the earliest bedtime of any one in his class. WHY?? I told him that he is also one of the smartest little boys I know and that is because people who sleep more learn better. He liked that answer. I also told him that Gage and Emma have the same bedtime he does. That really satisfied him.

Hattie: She "sleeps" with SO many odd things in her bed. We have had to make a new rule for her. She can't take any more books or toys (or shoes or purses...) to bed with her until the ones that are in the bed currently are put away.

Luke: He is the one who has challenged us the most on the staying in your bed rule. The other night, Hattie called me. I said, "this better be an emergency" as I walked in. Luke popped up out of Hattie's covers and said in a funny innocent voice, "I just wanted to snuggle!" I sent him back to his room and laughed my way back down the hall.

Millie Grace: Is starting to fit herself into this bedtime routine right along with everyone else! Yay!! She goes to sleep around 7pm or so, I wake her to feed her one last time before I go to bed around 10-11pm and have been waking her up in the mornings around 7. Hattie is happy to finally have a roommate!