I have the mom guilt of having never snuggled my oldest to sleep. I had PPD and honestly struggled bonding with him—something that feels like it’s still around to this day—and I have a ton of guilt/shame about that. He was never a snuggly baby but I also never tried to really snuggle because I was not in a place to do that. And now he’s almost 8 and I’m afraid I’ve somehow ruined our relationship forever 😮💨 which I know is silly, but still. So while I am grateful that I did not go through this pre-bedtime snuggle struggle, I’m also a little sad. But who knows what will happen with my much snugglier 6 month old? 🤣
YOU DID NOT RUIN YOUR RELATIONSHIP FOREVER AND YOU ARE AN AMAZING MOM. PERIOD. And also, yes, there's still plenty of time for you to get into this super long, frustrating bedtime snuggle routine. Ha!
Keep up the bedtime posts!! My almost 4 year old stopped falling asleep on his own and sleeping through the night after we went on vacation LAST AUGUST. Since then I have to rock him to sleep every night … the only thing that keeps me from losing my mind is listening to an audiobook (thank you Libby!) with an AirPod in one ear.
Thank you for visualizing my EXACT evening! And it's hilarious I continue to think I can get work done after 8pm... my only added picture would be me falling asleep at 8pm, waking up at 3am and crawling to our bed, but the door makes a creak sound and toddler is awake again and I have to just spend the night in her bed. the end :)
This is the one area of our household life where things are not split equally (in Jeff's defense, he deals with our monster-dogs while I snuggle the kids to sleep) because the kids INSIST on having me.
Every night, for seven years now, it has taken a minimum of one hour of snuggling to get Athena to sleep. It's unreal. And the rage I feel when it starts to become two hours...just ugh.
My sister has 3 kids ages 9, 7, 4 and exactly like your comic! They fall asleep within minutes with her husband, with her they wiggle, talk, refuse to fall asleep, follow her around the house after bedtime. It's maddening.
Our battle is about getting the kiddo to just STAY IN BED. Also, overnight wake ups where she politely knocks on the door to get our attention. I mean, I'm glad she's not just barging and staring at me but IT'S 3AM! STOP WAKING ME UP AT 3AM!
My son and I have this game we play at bedtime where the next person who talks has to eat a veggie the next day. That keeps him pretty quiet. He's also getting bigger, so the bedtime struggles are not as intense, and I don't stay til he's asleep.
Such a great game, haha! Thanks for the tip! I don't know how it happened where I stay until they're asleep--this didn't used to be the case but somehow we backslid over the past year!?! BLEH.
The backslide is real! I used to tell a story 1 night a week that I made up from scratch, and then it turned into EVERY SINGLE NIGHT. And now he's outgrown it, and I kind of miss it, but also not really because it got to the point where all he wanted me to do was make up Minecraft stories, and I had to explain I'm an ARTIST and he can't dictate the plot. LOL.
You can do ALL the cartoons about bedtime because there are few things more traumatizing.
ALSO: I used to do that with stories and the exact same backslide happened! I had to put an end to it because it got completely out of control (as does so much related to mothering). At least we can all connect over these little things!
Uggh, that's SO, so hard. We had that issue with my daughter for a really long time...it's just gotten better over the past few years and she still complains every time it's anyone but me, so I totally understand. Solidarity and lots of love your way <3
I have the mom guilt of having never snuggled my oldest to sleep. I had PPD and honestly struggled bonding with him—something that feels like it’s still around to this day—and I have a ton of guilt/shame about that. He was never a snuggly baby but I also never tried to really snuggle because I was not in a place to do that. And now he’s almost 8 and I’m afraid I’ve somehow ruined our relationship forever 😮💨 which I know is silly, but still. So while I am grateful that I did not go through this pre-bedtime snuggle struggle, I’m also a little sad. But who knows what will happen with my much snugglier 6 month old? 🤣
YOU DID NOT RUIN YOUR RELATIONSHIP FOREVER AND YOU ARE AN AMAZING MOM. PERIOD. And also, yes, there's still plenty of time for you to get into this super long, frustrating bedtime snuggle routine. Ha!
Keep up the bedtime posts!! My almost 4 year old stopped falling asleep on his own and sleeping through the night after we went on vacation LAST AUGUST. Since then I have to rock him to sleep every night … the only thing that keeps me from losing my mind is listening to an audiobook (thank you Libby!) with an AirPod in one ear.
SMART! I love audiobooks but hadn't thought to listen while I sit in their room...great tip! Also, SO SORRY FOR THE BEDTIME REGRESSION. <Sobs>
Thank you for visualizing my EXACT evening! And it's hilarious I continue to think I can get work done after 8pm... my only added picture would be me falling asleep at 8pm, waking up at 3am and crawling to our bed, but the door makes a creak sound and toddler is awake again and I have to just spend the night in her bed. the end :)
Ugh! So so so so frustrating!!!!
This is the one area of our household life where things are not split equally (in Jeff's defense, he deals with our monster-dogs while I snuggle the kids to sleep) because the kids INSIST on having me.
Every night, for seven years now, it has taken a minimum of one hour of snuggling to get Athena to sleep. It's unreal. And the rage I feel when it starts to become two hours...just ugh.
I know that rage SO WELL. The entire bedtime routine often takes 90 mins-2 hours in our house and it KILLS MEEEEEE.
My sister has 3 kids ages 9, 7, 4 and exactly like your comic! They fall asleep within minutes with her husband, with her they wiggle, talk, refuse to fall asleep, follow her around the house after bedtime. It's maddening.
Our battle is about getting the kiddo to just STAY IN BED. Also, overnight wake ups where she politely knocks on the door to get our attention. I mean, I'm glad she's not just barging and staring at me but IT'S 3AM! STOP WAKING ME UP AT 3AM!
My son and I have this game we play at bedtime where the next person who talks has to eat a veggie the next day. That keeps him pretty quiet. He's also getting bigger, so the bedtime struggles are not as intense, and I don't stay til he's asleep.
Such a great game, haha! Thanks for the tip! I don't know how it happened where I stay until they're asleep--this didn't used to be the case but somehow we backslid over the past year!?! BLEH.
The backslide is real! I used to tell a story 1 night a week that I made up from scratch, and then it turned into EVERY SINGLE NIGHT. And now he's outgrown it, and I kind of miss it, but also not really because it got to the point where all he wanted me to do was make up Minecraft stories, and I had to explain I'm an ARTIST and he can't dictate the plot. LOL.
You can do ALL the cartoons about bedtime because there are few things more traumatizing.
Haha, that last line!!! Agreed wholeheartedly.
ALSO: I used to do that with stories and the exact same backslide happened! I had to put an end to it because it got completely out of control (as does so much related to mothering). At least we can all connect over these little things!
Thanks for getting it :)
Thank you for the relatable comics!
Yes, and don’t forget that as soon as you get up, kiddo wakes up too and it starts all over, or you leave a crying child. There is no winning
You're so right. There really is no winning.
My 6 year old won't go to sleep for anyone.
Uggh, that's SO, so hard. We had that issue with my daughter for a really long time...it's just gotten better over the past few years and she still complains every time it's anyone but me, so I totally understand. Solidarity and lots of love your way <3