Bedtime routine

I really have to rethink the kids' bedtime routine. They're both reluctant to go to bed and it's a struggle every night. It takes at least an hour to finally get them settled in bed, and that doesn't mean they fall asleep immediately. No wonder H can't wake up in the morning (my poor boy has to wake up at 6:30am), and I swear he's getting eye bags from the lack of sleep (he won't nap in the afternoon).

Here's how it goes every night.

8pm: Mommy me will yell "OK enough, stop playing everyone goes upstairs!" which will be met with defiance "No, I still want to play!" I will then turn off the lights in the living room and start marching upstairs, "Mommy is going up, you can stay and play if you want but I'm going up!" That usually gets their attention. On a good day, they'll race each other up the stairs. On a bad day, one or both of them will start whining or throw a fit!

8.15pm-8.30pm: Depending on luck, I finally get them both upstairs, but getting them changed and brushing their teeth is another battle. Their favourite game is to chase each other along the corridor and from room to room, while I try to keep my patience checked. "Stop running dear, come here and brush your teeth..." I'll be repeating this over and over until my patience runs out then I'll resort to threatening him "That's it, I'm gonna ask kakak to come get you ready" or physically dragging him into the room. Since I can only handle one kid at a time (cos it's running late and H needs to go to bed), the nanny usually takes the other (L by default) which on most nights result in her throwing a fit "I don't want you, I want mommy!"

8:30pm: Gosh, already so late! "It's late already, time to sleep." which will be met by "I want a story first". "OK just one story then you have to sleep, promise?" But after one story, it'll be "I want another story!" or "I want to drink milo", or "I want to chit chat", etc.

9pm-9.30pm: Again depending on luck, the kids are finally settled.

So really, if I want H to sleep by 8:30pm (so that he gets 10 hours of sleep), I'll have to shoo them upstairs by 7:30pm latest. Sometimes I'm not even home by 7:30pm. How lah?!!!