Every night,bedtime is the worse time of my day..I alternate between yelling at Aadi and feeling bad for yelling..DH is extremely busy,these days..(whats new?) and on most days dozes off before she does.But,before he dozes off,she asks him to tell her a story.Yesterday,even after the story,she was awake,tossing and turning,talking and singing,kicking the covers,throwing the pillow..2 whole hours had passed,since we came to the bedroom.I was at the fray ends of my nerves.I picked her up and threatened to take her outside.She started crying loudly,and something snapped..I just put her down on the bed..FORCEFULLY..with too much force.She kept crying more..And that made me realise my mistake.I immediately picked her up,rubbed her back..kissed her bum,and asked her,what was hurting,she said her cheeks and hands..I kissed them again and again..she was crying,I was in tears..I couldn’t thank God enough for the fact that she was alright..I kept getting rotten thoughts about shaken baby syndrome and the likes..and I got MAD at DH.She is a baby..but he should know better to give me a break..They both slept..and I couldnt sleep till 4 in the morning.The guilt just kept eating me from inside.
Today,right after dinner,we went for a drive and after we got back,told him,if he didn’t want his Princess to cry,then,he has to make sure,she sleeps before HE does. So,as soon as lights were off..she demanded a story.He obliged.Told her a long story about the Pandavas and how they were mischievious boys,who wouldn’t sleep..of monsters who fought them..and so on.At the end of the story,the Princess,kissed daddy and told him,
“Thank You daddy,that was a great story!”
We were both zapped..Daddy and princess are cuddled up now..HE is sleeping..she is talking..God Give me patience!
Edited to add: today,after 1 and half hour,I put her in her room..she cried her eyes out,said she was very sleepy,was quiet for 10 mins..then crying again..DH caved in,she came back to our bed..spent another half an hour chatting..while he slept..and my temper kept rising..finally she slept!
Mood Currently:Very Crappy!
15 Marbles 
Oh anything for that wonderful sight of bonding b.w dad n daughter no 🙂
Hugs Trish … happens to most of us sometimes that things go out of control when we r tired/ want to call it a day 🙂 Am sure u do hv loads of patience craftymaa 🙂
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Ohh yeah..the bonding is totally worth it…
Thanks for the vote of confidence,darling.
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awww first hugs trish i know what u feel like but u are human dont be hard on urself… u are doing very well for urself dear…
just talk to DH and make sure he understands ur need for a break in the night routine atleast 3-4 days a week… i understand its tough for them but its so damn important
hugs again… and try and figure out why she wants to sleep late. is she taking a very long afternoon nap? is she spending her energy in the day? try bed time massage & bath…and last but not the least if she still doesnt sleep for two hours when u take her to the room may be let her be and take her only to the room a little later (I know I know we should sleep on time blah blah but it could be as simple as that she wants to spend more time with daddy and doesnt want to sleep that time)
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Awww Mons,I could hug you right now!!
Right now,I dont want to ask him..he shud understand..may be when I am calmer.
Abt Aadi,yes,she wants to spend time with daddy..so,I delay her bedtime..but I dunno what else to do..today,after 1 and half hour,I put her in her room..she cried her eyes out,said she was very sleepy,was quiet for 10 mins..then crying again..DH caved in,she came back to our bed..spent another half an hour chatting..while he slept..and my temper kept rising..finally she slept!
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Relax, its OK, she will get the hang. Try and stop her daytime naps, so she will sleep better and earlier in the evenings. That is all i can suggest. And don’t worry, she will get there!
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you know..I have tried cutting the day time nap..it doesnt affect her one way or the other..She takes longer to fall asleep irrespective!!I am doomed!!:(
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Try giving her some warm milk 1/2 hr before bedtime..it might help her sleep..if that doesn’t work, just give her some dr’s brandy…now if that doesn’t work…you take the brandy and go to sleep 🙂
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me drinking the brandy and going to sleep sounds like a better option!!:D
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Monika summed it all up pretty much. Warm milk with a tsp of homey does work wonders.
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ohh milk and honey…never thought of that..shall try it tonight:)
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ohh its the same at our place.. but I just let her be.
Bedroom is for sleeping .. not playing / talking. If she is in the mood for that, i just tell her u can sit and watch TV in the hall. I am sleeping. many times she sits alone for 15 mins watching tv n then comes n quietly lies down..
Lots of play in the evening, and a hot water bath calms her.
Also u need to let DH know what u want exactly from him.
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Ohh yeah I leave her to watch TV alone too and she follows in 2 mins.
And about telling DH-I just let him read the post and all the comments..:D
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Ohhh i have seen the same bedtime scene in many families(I am yet to experience though)..i know its really difficult to put a child to sleep,when you are deat tired.
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Yeah…lots of kids have trouble falling asleep..just a nightmare for moms.
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the same story in every house!
i really try to make my girls sleep before their dad arrives (he comes home mostly late) and when he is not there they listen to lullabies and sleep within twenty minutes. the scene changes my husband is at home, they don’t sleep on time and i have to leave every other work for morning and go to bed with them.
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Ohhh Anu..hugs..we are in the same boat..I dunno how u manage with twins!!sometimes,if I start bedtime before DH is home..I wish and pray,that he doesnt come before she is fast asleep!
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awwww Trish don’t be so hard on yourself..we all get stressed. Hugs
Hows the bedtime going now ? Has she recently started sleeping late ? Milk before bedtime works most of the time as suggested in one of the comments. And also it might help if the story telling happens in her bed so that she doesn’t have to walk out of your room at the end of it. I am sure you must be following a bedtime routine for Aadi, but don’t give in bcos of the tears. We feel awful to let them cry like that ( beleive me I have done that so I know how miserable we feel ) but kids usually get the message in a couple of nights that you mean business and bedtime is bedtime, they can’t come out of the room after that. It gives both you and the child the much needed rest.
Do you guys have Plunket there ? If nothing is working, talk to them. They are full of practical and good advise for under 5s.
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Thankss 2BM!
Will look u Plunket too.
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So she is not taking a nap and is still sleeping so late? She has lots of energy…Mine does not take a nap in the afternoon and by 8, I have to make her sleep, or else I get very tired! She does get tired but you know this little ones are like a ball of enrgy, they can go on and on. Does she eat well at dinner? Sometimes maybe they are hungry and arent able to sleep…..
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yes..she takes a power nap,once or twice in a week..thats it..She just doesnt like sleeping I think!
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My advise… cut the daytime nap. That’s bound to make a child tired by the bedtime. Tiring her out is the only solution I see here. And yes, it is important for her to spend sometime with Daddy… but figure some other way for that. She has to go to bed ontime. That will give you and husband to spend a quiet hour talking/reading/TV whatever… winding down with a quiet time is very important for parents… happy moms raise happy babies 🙂
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yes..I know..I hope daddy starts coming home early..winter is almost here..soon it will be dark early..then,even parks with dad will be out!
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Oh Trish, I go through this every other day. I know how you’re feeling. I end up making E cry and shouting at Hubby. I’m doomed too! 😦
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Ohh Whinymom,hugs!!we are both doomed!!But,this too shall pass and we will be Alright!
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