Bedtime Blues

I don't know about you guys, but recently bedtime was a NIGHTMARE for my 8yo and myself. Trying to get him to complete each task necessary for him to settle in for the night was like pulling teeth. It became super frustrating for me, and it seemed maybe a little amusing for him.

Enter the bedtime checklist! I had already set Alexa to give him a reminder at 8:30pm to start working on his bedtime tasks, and he would start but he wanted me to be involved in every single step. Don't get me wrong, I'll help him whenever he needs, but NEEDS is the key word. He was asking me to assist with the simplest of things that at 8 years old, he should be able to take care of on his own.

I decided it was time to set some boundaries in the interest of him becoming more independant and self sufficient. I created a simple checklist on Google Docs with little check boxes. I put the checklist in a report cover (left over from school last year, but you can get them anywhere that sells office supplies) and got a dry erase marker. I explained to him that each night when the Alexa reminder goes off, he is to begin completing the tasks on his checklist. Only when I see that those tasks are complete and checked off do I become involved in the bedtime routine.

Y'all. The checklist has saved me so much headache and frustration! I think he gets a sense of accomplishment when he sees how much he completed on his own as well. I have always loved bedtime with him. We get him settled, we read from his current library book, we talk about his day, etc. It was getting to that point that was driving me crazy! This simple checklist has kept me from being so frustrated with bedtime that I would speed through even the fun parts so I could just calm down. Side benefit from this as well is that whenever someone else has to fill in on bedtime (like Tuesday nights when I am rehearsing with the wind ensemble) there is no guesswork! Jaxon still knows that the expectation is for him to complete those tasks once Alexa reminds him that it is bedtime. Sometimes it is the small things that can be the most helpful!