Even the best sleepers need a little drive around the block sometimes.
If you take the number of times the best sleepers need that drive and reverse it, so that the smaller number were nights that he fell asleep without a drive - well, that would be our eldest.
When we lived in Brooklyn, taking cranky kids out for a stroll in the middle of the night, any night, wasn't a problem. The weather was our worse enemy.
Here in Connecticut, I never feel safe. Last year our apartment was broken into while we were home, sleeping. Big D woke up for some milk and when Brian got up to get it, out walked the burglar - highly cologned, strolling right past him. He kicked our cat and broker her tooth, pulled out all our electronics, opened and went through all our bags, and stole my brand new phone.
We didn't hear anything.
The point here is that once it gets dark, we can't stroll the kids. So, every night for the past year, we have had to drive big D to bed.
Every. Night.
If gas weren't $4/gallon and we didn't have Amelia, it wouldn't be the worst thing we could do.
We tried everything. Honestly.
We read the books. We tried cry it out. We tried laying down in bed with him. None of it worked. Driving was the best and most effective method.
Then the days turned into weeks, the weeks into months and now over a year... not the best bedtime routine.
Not even close.
However.. the last 5 days have been different, we've altered our nighttime routine.
Please don't judge, we do what we do because we have to...
NOW:
Dinner at 5:30-6:00
6:00-6:45 Wind down play time
6:45 - Splish-splash time
7:00 Milk and Jeopardy!
7:30 Wheel of Fortune... Daniel loves to watch the wheel. He usually falls asleep in Amelia's bouncy seat watching.
8:00 (if he is still asleep) we lay in his bed (Daniel, Amelia and I) and sing a few songs over and over, read a book, and hopefully he falls asleep.
Best idea ever? Not by a mile, but at least we don't have to drive him to sleep anymore.
Perhaps the money I save on gas I can pay myself - like I mentioned in the last post.
I think it a grand idea. Stick to a routine. It helps everybody involved. Kids get thrown off by a constant changing schedule. I sit here typing this aware that my 3 year old has yet to be bathed and is running around the house. She goes to sleep ok but she is 3 years old and she has slept through the night about 20 times :-( Find what works for you guys and stick to it. I personally think your idea is great!
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