If there’s one thing I hate about being a single mom, it’s bedtime.
No. Not mine. The kids’.
My ex and I had an awesome bedtime routine. Our evenings were an amazingly choreographed dance. It started with dinner. As he cleaned the kitchen, I started the bathwater and got the kids undressed and in the tub. He took over bath detail while I went into their rooms and picked up toys and clothes from the day. While he supervised tooth brushing, I laid out pajamas. We divided the kids, each taking turns with starting with one or the other. Each child was read their own bedtime story, kissed by both of us, tucked into bed, and then…
Lights out.
From start to finish, our routine took a half hour.
We were that good.
And every night as I struggle through the routine on my own, I remember how much easier it was with two. While the divorce is, in our case, a good thing, the bedtime routine is one time I really miss the guy.
Especially when I’m an hour in, my hair frizzing, and my patience nearing its end.
I’m still fairly new to this whole single thing. I’m pretty sure I’ll get the hang of it soon. In the meantime, if you stop hearing from me, I was probably tied up with a bathrobe belt by my children while they partied all night long.
Do you have any tried and true bedtime tips?
