Sleeping early trick

Many parents would agree with me that parenting is modelling. Lois is not just mini-me in physical features, she is also the grumpy and selfish ME! That's why I find parenting so difficult. It is life forcing me to grow up and fix myself, before I can 'fix' Lois or Carlos.


Successful first try
With both parents working from home, the kids somehow get the worse part of the bargain - their bonding time with dad and mom gets eaten up by work. I noticed that since workstation is just there, even if it's way past office hours, I still work! I think this has been causing the kids' grumpy attitudes.

Tweak, tweak, tweak.

First solution is to introduce routines- starting with bed time.

Dinner starts at 730pm. Both kids must eat at the table, minimum of 4 spoonfuls each. Though Carlos always go beyond the 12th bite.

After dinner, wash up time. Followed by reading time. I limit the books to a maximum of 3 only, just enough time to give them their night vitamins and brush their teeth.

Afterwards, it's good night time in our room. Carrying their assigned tasks, both kids troop upstairs for final zzzz's. Inside our room, everyone helps set up the bed. To cap the evening, mom reads to them a maximum of 6 iPod stories. Greatest thing though, at book 5, both are fast asleep!

Thanks Ate Heidi for the inspiration.

Rules
Learning from last Wednesday's parent orientation in Meridian, laying down of rules help achieve peace with kids. Once the kids know the rules, it would be easy to implement them. Acts of Disobedience are dealt with properly.

Lately, I've deliberately used the word rule to make sure the kids understand them. I knew I overused it when Lois told me, "Mommy, don't call me Wiswis. Only Lois! That's my rule."

Laughing to myself, I saluted her and said, "Yes Lois."