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| Working on our sleep form |
Wyatt was - for the first time - extremely interested in the analog clock on our wall. He stands up on the couch, points to it, and asks about each number. My parenting instincts sprung to life and I seized the moment.
He asks "What does this number do?" It's the one-two. I mean the twelve. I say "Eat lunch." He goes around the rest of the numbers.
1: Play outside
2: Play outside
3: Do a craft
4: Eat a snack
5: Play outside
6: Dinner
7: Play Inside
8: GO TO BED.
Now, obviously I was lying. It should really go like this:
1: Watch TV
2: Watch TV
3: Play on my iPad
4: Watch dad watch TV and play on his iPad
5: Think about doing a craft but play video games instead
6: Argue about how many bites of dinner to eat
7: Do push-ups (hundreds)
8: Go to bed
But my dishonesty isn't the point here. The point is that WYATT GOES TO BED AT 8:00 NOW. That first night, when the hand pointed to eight, I said "Look, Wy! The clock points to eight! What does that mean?!" He thought, smiled, and yelled "Time for bed!!" Then he hopped in bed and we read 5 books. Since then, when the clock points to 8, we hop in bed. That simple.
This is probably the greatest moment in parenting history, slightly above the invention of Netflix.
He's gotten a little bit creative with his time-telling, actually. A couple days ago, he looked at the clock and said "It's 2:00 6:00!" (reading both hands) "Clock says CHICKEN NUGGETS." HE said this last part with a very grave, stern face. It was chicken-nugget-o'clock. The clock had spoken. So in a couple hours I turned off my Playstation and made chicken nuggets for the both of us.
Last year, there were times Wyatt was going to bed at 1:00am. This is not the same as 8:00pm, for those of you doing the math. It helps that the little man rarely naps anymore, and that he trusts the sun cycle ("Go sleep when it's dark, that way sun comes up! Right dad?!") It also helps that at 7:40, both of the hands are really pointing at the eight, so I can say bargain that it's bed time, but I'll give himone more show to watch a few more minutes to write his letters which he can totally do.
My mood: super relieved and proud and also I'm the best
Wyatt's mood: much happier
Lincoln's mood: content
Cara's mood: tired
Listening to: Kanye
Now, obviously I was lying. It should really go like this:
1: Watch TV
2: Watch TV
3: Play on my iPad
4: Watch dad watch TV and play on his iPad
5: Think about doing a craft but play video games instead
6: Argue about how many bites of dinner to eat
7: Do push-ups (hundreds)
8: Go to bed
But my dishonesty isn't the point here. The point is that WYATT GOES TO BED AT 8:00 NOW. That first night, when the hand pointed to eight, I said "Look, Wy! The clock points to eight! What does that mean?!" He thought, smiled, and yelled "Time for bed!!" Then he hopped in bed and we read 5 books. Since then, when the clock points to 8, we hop in bed. That simple.
This is probably the greatest moment in parenting history, slightly above the invention of Netflix.
He's gotten a little bit creative with his time-telling, actually. A couple days ago, he looked at the clock and said "It's 2:00 6:00!" (reading both hands) "Clock says CHICKEN NUGGETS." HE said this last part with a very grave, stern face. It was chicken-nugget-o'clock. The clock had spoken. So in a couple hours I turned off my Playstation and made chicken nuggets for the both of us.
Last year, there were times Wyatt was going to bed at 1:00am. This is not the same as 8:00pm, for those of you doing the math. It helps that the little man rarely naps anymore, and that he trusts the sun cycle ("Go sleep when it's dark, that way sun comes up! Right dad?!") It also helps that at 7:40, both of the hands are really pointing at the eight, so I can say bargain that it's bed time, but I'll give him
My mood: super relieved and proud and also I'm the best
Wyatt's mood: much happier
Lincoln's mood: content
Cara's mood: tired
Listening to: Kanye
