Anyway, since chatting with several sleep-deprived friends this week, I’ve realized how very lucky I am to have kids who, for the most part, are awesome sleepers. How did we manage this? Great sleep genetics, I think. So, good luck with that. Other than that, I think sleep rituals have been essential for our kids.

My oldest has not had a night where there hasn’t been some type of music playing in her room. For the first few years, it was Michael Card’s Sleep Sound in Jesus that we’d received from friends. Very soothing for both of us in those early days/long nights of our Mommy/newborn relationship. Now it’s some type of Kids’ Songs. Music is a must in her evening routine. A cute pair of pajamas also goes a long way in getting her excited (or at least not dreading) bedtime.

My oldest son (almost 3) needs to have his “car blankie” which he chews on (kinda gross, but whatever works), and the light on outside his door. He’s my early riser, and so a baby gate on his door was essential. It allows him to get up and play for a little in his room before everyone else is in a coherent state. Of course, he just switched rooms with big sis and now shares a room with the baby. New ritual—scream at baby until he not only wakes up, but joins in the screaming as well. Lovely.

For baby blue eyes, it’s his duckie blankie and only the Gentle Flex type of Gerber pacifier. He’s my only pacifier baby, and shocked me today when he shook his head “no” when I went to give it to him at naptime. What? No paci? He did that about 3 times (as I’m trying not to cry because it seems just more evidence that my baby is growing up). Of course, as soon as I started to close the door, he cried and reached for it. I gave it to him, he plunged it into his little lips, grabbed his duckie blankie, rolled over and went to sleep.

Yep, we got lucky in the sleep department.

Share your sleep routines with us. There’s gotta be at least one sleep-deprived parent out there who is desperate for some ideas!

Okay, everyone, grab your mats and find a spot on the floor. It’s naptime…

Post from: Play Library