Bedtime: Sometimes you win, sometimes you lose

Although I try to stick to a calm bedtime routine, sometimes the evening doesn't go as planned. Because I have six children who play sports, we often get home late from a baseball game and then rush to get ready for bed. On these nights, the kids have a hard time settling down for the night, and I admit I sometimes get frustrated and yell at them to go to bed and sleep! We've all been there. We may be home late for a special occasion, one of our children may be sick, or our little one may have just learned the art of procrastination. How do you keep everything from falling apart at the end of the day when these things happen? If it's past your child's bedtime because, for some reason, you got home late, try not to rush them off to bed. Rushing will only put everyone in a bad mood. Take a deep breath, take the time to read a story, and give them hugs and kisses like you do every night. If children are sick, remember that despite your best efforts, they may not go to bed as usual. They may also not sleep through the night because they have trouble breathing with a stuffy nose or a fever. Remember that this is temporary, and be sure to give them extra attention before bed. I believe the best way to deal with procrastination is to stick to what you say. If your rule is 20 minutes of reading, stick to it. Likewise, if story time is 20 minutes, don't stop after five minutes. If you're consistent, kids will adjust and stop trying to push back sleep. We all have nights when bedtime doesn't go as planned, but that doesn't mean you have to give up on the stories, cuddles, and routine that make bedtime special. Skipping all those bedtime moments is likely to cause heartache and frustration, not to mention wet beds and nighttime sheet changes. Remember, especially on nights when you're rushed, that those bedtime moments are memories for life.