Sunday, December 14, 2008

Bedtime ritual - Nasty



So every night, now, bedtime at our house is hell time. Somewhere along the recent way Eldest has read a book about puting a child down at a regular bedtime so we are all treated to an hour of hell. The amusing thing about it is that her and my mom act, each night, as if grandson's temper tantrum at being put to bed is new or different.

Eldest doesn't like the temper tantrum so she puts up with it for about 20 minutes and then leaves that part of the house to let him cry to himself. When she works late the task falls to my mother and she will read to him after arguing with him until he falls to sleep about an hour after it all starts.

Both of them swear the process takes about 20 minutes. They lie. Hubby and I refuse to take part in the process aside from a hug and kiss goodnight. Because the amusing thing is that Eldest doesn't get up in the morning with this child she has forced to go to bed at an hour he doesn't wish to. He comes in to OUR bedroom to get us up not only because he wants to see Papa right away in the morning but because she tells him she doesn't want to get up yet and to come to our bedroom!!!

Guess the book didn't cover who is supposed to get up with him. Needless to say, I am writing this as another round of tantrums, begging and wails for his 'Bika or Papa to save him are going off. This is probably the biggest bone of contention between the different raising styles. I never believed in "bedtime". Apparently, she found that to be something she wants to correct in my parenting style. I WANT my children to do better than me, but, of course, only when I was wrong. Why she would want to correct something I did right is beyond me.

So here is me, taking my bitch to the 'net. And you thought it was a different kind of nasty didn't you?!?

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

hmmmmmmmmmmmm....being a believer in bedtime I'm thinking i'll take the eldest side. Being there for the turkey day long weekend, I will throw out a reminder that grandson was put to bed at a pretty resonable time each night, to not once a tantrum. I was so thrilled to see it. Having delt with a 10 tantrum last night, maybe i'm trying to focuse on the good nights, not only the not so good nights.
school canceled, due to snow "maybe" coming, hasn't yet. so i'm sure p will think he can stay up late since there won't be school tomorrow? maybe i'll throw a tantrum? love ya