It started with them blowing a swooshy feel-good breeze up my skirt: they said they "valued my ability to inspire my followers through writing" and they wanted "to tap into my creative juices" to help develop a storyline for a little boy and his magical bed. Then they slathered icing on top: my contribution would be compensated.
Though I appreciated their pitch–ARE YOU KIDDING ME? GETTING PAID FOR MY TIME AND WRITING INSTEAD OF RECEIVING A PRODUCT???–I thought they contacted me by accident. The sponsor was GoodNites, makers of disposable sleep pants for kids who wet the bed, and a) my children were too old for this demographic, and b) we never had to deal with the issue of bedwetting when they were younger.
Ready to decline because I wasn't interested in inauthentically prostituting my blog for cash, in response to my concerns their PR team explained a) this was not a product endorsement, b) my youngest at 12 was in the upper-age range for the product, and c) (my favorite point…) they liked the way I wrote about establishing ritual and tradition with my family!!!
They might not have had me at "Hello", but by "How you doin'?", I was theirs.
Over the course of several emails and phone calls, I learned more about the campaign: GoodNites was hosting Bedtime Theater, a free audio series about a little boy and his magical bed, and a group of bloggers were to write the ending nine chapters. We'd get to give away THREE $175 PRIZE PACKS and judge contest entries from YOU, YES, YOU! listeners who wrote a chapter in the audio series…the winner of which would walk away with $2,500!
I committed to the project, and then…
*
*
*
I faced one of the biggest writing challenges of my {coughcough} career: I had to write my chapter! Fiction {horrors!}. I've never really dabbled in writing fiction, and as the lucky next-to-last writer, my directive was to begin tying up ALL THE LOOSE ENDS THIS CRAZY GROUP OF BLOGGERS LEFT FLAPPING IN THE BREEZE!
Sweet mercy–considering their diversity, mad writing skillz and apparent OVERACTIVE IMAGINATIONS that was no small task! The surprise to me was…
…I loved every minute of it.
…And I cannot wait for my chapter to go live!
Let's just say I let my imagination over-activate, too. So much so, the PR team told me I was a leetle…too…graphic…with my first submission. Teaser: Had I written "Alice in Wonderland" I totally might've been credited with the "OFF WITH HER HEAD" declaration…!
Just sayin'….
Anyways, I hope you'll gather up your babies–toddler through middle school–and listen to Iggy's Adventures. Use the audio chapters to establish a fun night-time bedtime ritual with your children and on March 1 you'll gain access to the chapter I wrote!
This has GOT to be one of the most exclamation-marky posts I've ever written, but lovies, I've had to keep quiet about this since November! To help me celebrate the official launch of Bedtime Theater, I'm excited to give away the following prize pack valued at $175:
- 2GB Silver iPod Shuffle (comes with headphones or use with included speakers so you can download Iggy's Adventures from BedtimeTheater.com)
- Logitech Speakers
- $25 iTunes giftcard
- Cuddle blanket to snuggle while listening
- Patagonia Carry Y'all Bag
- ID Tags
Basic entry couldn't be simpler:
- Subscribe to PENSIEVE in a reader or via email **and**
- Leave a comment below sharing your favorite nighttime bedtime rituals.
Winner will be selected by random draw from qualified commenters :). Deadline to enter is Friday, February 26th at midnight EST.
Gain additional entries by doing any of the following;
be sure to leave a separate comment for each:
Stumble this post {pretty please} and writing a glowing review of it :).
Copy and tweet the following or feel free to use your own language (comment the URL of your tweet): Wow–@PensieveRobin is giving away a $175 prize pack {iPod Shuffle & MORE}!!! http://bit.ly/BedtimeTheaterGiveaway #BedtimeTheater
Write a post about Bedtime Theater and link to this contest post.
{Thanks to Goodnites for including me as one of their Bedtime Theater bloggers. Kudos to them for a creative approach to partnering with writers and building a multi-layered campaign!}
I subscribe 🙂
I tweeted @SomewhatCrunchy
Yeah! I couldn’t be more excited for you! You are amazing, and I’m glad that your writing career is doing so well. 😉 You rock!
My favorite bedtime ritual? Other than chatting with my teen and nursing my toddler is the one they’re oblivious to. i like yo “make the rounds” and peek at their angel faces sleeping soundly before I go to bed.
I’m a feed subscriber. That is so awesome! What a cool chick you are!
Favorite ritual? Hmm, my kids are all teens (oldest is away at college now). But, we have 2 daughters in high school. At night, we try to read & pray with them. This time is special because we’re all relaxed and able to talk about things that just don’t seem to make it into normal conversations.
It’s such a joy to have that time with my kids…..after many years of telling silly stories and reading bakoodles of books before bed. The talks are a tresure!
I’m a feed subscriber already, does that count?
We just put our two littles to bed after our regular devotion time… we go over the 8 or so Bible verses they’ve learned so far and read from their little children’s Bible. They sit, in their footie jammies, on Daddy’s lap, resting heads on his shoulders. Then they squeeze their little eyes closed and entwine their tiny fingers to pray before kisses and hugs and tucking into bed. We only have two weeks of this precious routine before my beloved heads to Afghanistan for a year, so we’re treasuring every second of it. Perfect timing to read your post and cement it in my mind by writing it out.
Looking forward to reading Iggy’s adventures.
Teeth are brushed, we head to the bedroon and it’s go time. The room gets dark and his momma starts whispering how wonderful he is and how much his mom and dad love him. I quickly recap the day, tell him what a blessing he is and say a prayer or go over the scripture we are going over that week. He snuggles with his favorite blankets and “pup”, the door closes and we call it a day.
I’m already a subscriber. We don’t have too amazing of a bedtime ritual. All the normal stuff, plus read the Bible and pray. I always tuck them in. Sometimes we sing…we should do it more, because they really do love it. My DH started teaching them the Lord’s Prayer and my littlest when he is trying to stall will say, “we need to say art in heaven!”.
I loved when rocking in the rocking chair was always part of the ritual…sometimes it still is, like when my 5’7″, 145 lb 12 year old climbed in my lap and let me rock him the other night. It strained my ab muscles and warmed my heart. I couldn’t have been happier! We always end the day with a story (for the youngest two) and talking/sharing the day with the older two. I can’t fall asleep without kissing each one again while they are deep in dreamland. To top it off, I check my 11 year-old’s blood sugar (he is a Type 1 diabetic)so I can snooze for a few hours before I get up and do it again! 🙂 Thanks for the give-a-way…I really enjoy your blog!
I just subscribed!
As for bedtime routines, our kids have always been challenging when it comes to sleeping but we try to stick with a routine anyway and hopefully one day it’ll actually work. 🙂 We usually read a book or from the Bible, pray together, and then they like to listen to books on tape while falling asleep. Oh, and first our son usually has a protein snack or at least drinks some milk because of low blood sugar.
He also struggles with bedwetting and still has to wear pull-ups at night so this giveaway fits us just great!
Thanks.
I follow you on twitter and am tweeting the giveaway, but I have no idea how to leave my url! (@nonsensical2)
Already a suscriber too! 20 years ago, straight out of college, I was teaching middle school…this was before my 4 children were born and while my husband was still in medical school…those tweenagers were my whole world and I got to know many of them well..
A story from a favorite student stayed with me: His mother made sure that they (he, his brother and she) told each other good night and I love you, every single night….her grandfather told a sad story of two family members who did not part well one day and one of them passed away unexpectedly without resolution of the ill feelings or validation of unspoken affection…it haunted him for years and he passed the legacy on to his children, etc…
That stayed with me over the last 20 or so years…we tell each other good night and I love you ever night…sometimes that is the only consistent ritual we have…the older we all get, the more complicated and busy our lives seem to become….
I found that student last year online and shared the story with him…what a joy to learn that he is a Christian recording artist and wrote a song called, Words of Grace about that very ritual….he was able to sing it to his mom during her last hours of fighting a lengthy bout of cancer…
At the end of the day, and the end of all things, I think that is the most important and consistent thing we can do, make sure the ones we love know that we love them, right before we go to sleep…
well, I’m a long time subscriber and your biggest fan (but not in a scary Kathy Bates Misery kind of way)
favorite night time rituals – same every night – bath, teeth, read two books while snuggled up together. Then prayers (so sweet out of the mouths of babes) and goodnight kisses.
tweeted http://twitter.com/CPAMom/status/9390755009
Well I already subscribe (of course). My favoirte bedtime ritual actually doesn’t even involve me. Every year on my childrens’ respective birthday my husband picks out a scripture for them. Then every night he prays it over them/with them. It is really powerful
Tweeted!!
I subscribed cause I enjoy your writing style (can’t wait to see what you do with fiction) and my favorite bedtime ritual is praying with my two boys. You just never know what they are grateful for. Last night my almost-three-year-old son thanked God for Daddy, Mommy, his brother, Buzz Lightyear, and hot dogs. You know, the important things in life 🙂
I tweeted – booksnboys
I totally subscribe 🙂 Your writing is beautiful! My favorite is the prayers, hugs and kisses it washes away all the bad stuff of the day!
I subscribe with Google Reader. Our bedtime rituals are changing as the kids are getting older but with my youngest, she reads her devotions alone and tells me when she is done then I go in and we say prayers together and I tuck her in with kisses.
Smiles!
Well, my girls are older now so this happens less frequently these days, but when they were younger, we would gather in one room and pray together before lights out. Sweet times!
Oh and I subscribe, too.
Congratulations on this fun project. Our bedtime routine is to cuddle and read in bed. My kids are old enough to read on their own but they still insist that I read to them. I also end the time with prayers. I remember always praying with my mom as part of my bedtime routine.
I subscribe in a reader.
Wow! Congrats, Robin!! How exciting!
My favorite bedtime ritual was tucking my boys in bed when they were little and singing three songs (no more, no less) to them before they went to sleep. Especially because I do NOT have a good singing voice, but they appreciated and enjoyed me singing to them. I once even made up a silly song using the first letter of our last name and proceeded to laugh so hard with my oldest that I probably laughed him to sleep.
I’m a feed subscriber…
I love reading to my kids, snuggled up with them. And I love that freshly bathed smell!
I’m an email subscriber. Congrats on flexing your fiction muscles!
Ritual – my husband actually does the night-night stuff. I get a hug and kiss and our 3 year old heads upstairs. They read a book (usually a Clifford or Berenstein Bears), get a drink of water, say a prayer, sing Rock a Bye Baby, then Daddy leaves our little guy to listen to the rest of his night-night music until sleep takes him. It’s quite the routine and on the occasions I fill in, my boy is quick to point out my missteps. But how awesome to have a dedicated husband/daddy.
storytime, snuggles, slumberland. It’s a nice triumvirate!
I’m an email subscriber! We really don’t have any set-in-stone rituals, but my hubby does like to get in a quick story before they fall asleep. Thanks for the chance to win!
You know I’m a regular, albeit a quiet one & stumbling it for you.
Congratulations on the opportunity, you are fabulous, you know.
I subscribe via Bloglines! My son loves when I read him a book and then scratch his back as he drifts off to sleep. That’s our ritual.
I subscribe and my favorite bedtime ritual is to cuddle up with my children, read a book, give kisses and hugs, and then send them to bed. 😀
I tweeted: http://twitter.com/pricousins/status/9438333648
I subscribe, so “check”.
And as far as bedtime rituals, I have this thing about kissing my little one’s feet…but he’s six now, and they are becoming a bit more, umm, stinky, so I feel that ritual may have to end soon. But it has been precious while it has lasted!
I love a nice warm bath before bed.
Sounds like a great prize pack! Count me in! We haven’t ever had to deal with bedwetters in my set, but I grew up with a family member who had the issue. I am not sure they ever outgrew it.
I subscribed in a reader. Wasn’t sure why you weren’t already in my reader. ??? Strange.
Tweeted friend : http://twitter.com/ExtraordMommy/status/9479742300
I am, naturally, a subscriber 🙂
And my favorite bedtime ritual involves a lot of snuggling 🙂 We bathe the small people, snuggle in to read a story, say prayers and then I lay with Delaney for ‘just one minute’ and Jeff does the same with Coop 🙂
Great idea and no wonder they picked you – you rock!
We don’t really have any bedtime rituals anymore..
Tweeted! 😉
http://twitter.com/sprittibee/statuses/9479936236
As a mom of five who has had bed wetting issues for TEN YEARS…so thrilled Goodnights is partnering with you all.
And what a great give away…off to tweet it. 🙂
Tweeted…and just to say…I was not the one with the bed wetting issue…hee heee
My son is 5 and our latest bedtime ritual is one of my favorites so far. He has a new love of old Pink Panther cartoons, so we DVR them and each night before bed he and I snuggle in and laugh until we cry, when the half hour is over he rolls over and goes right to sleep.
Every night we read three books because he is three years old. Last year it was two book and the year before one. I am a little nervous about him getting older. I can only read SO much!
What a great campaign. Thanks Robin!
super cool prizes AND I can only imagine your chapter–does it involve a goose?
tweeting and tumbling
xoxo
I’m already a feed subscriber…this is a very cool approach to marketing – best of luck with it! Can’t wait to hear the story with my kids now. 🙂
What an awesome opportunity and so creative! I’m tweeting you! (we totally have bedwetting issues, so this is super relevant for our family)
favorite night time rituals? Sharing our favorite part of the day. And holding hands while they drift off to sleep.
Subscribed.
Since my kids are absolutely in this age range AND I record an audio blog of my posts, I love this.
Our nighttime rituals include plopping into our big comfy brown glider with the baby and reading a story to the big boys. Then I hand off the baby to dad, turn off the lights, and talk to the boys in the dark about all the things from their day that made me proud.
My favorite part of our days together is our nights.
Congratulations, Robin, on a fun campaign.
What a great opportunity! I found you through the Nester and just subscribed.
Our favorite bedtime ritual is laying in bed with our 4-year-old, reading a few books, and talking about the day.
Thanks for the chance to win! 🙂
You know I subscribe! I’m very interested in this concept, looks very creative and meaningful for kids. When my boys were young bedtime ritual was bathroom/teeth, music (Beatles, classical, folk, whatever) while we picked clothes for the next day, and 2 books or a chapter of a book. I absolutely miss it. I’ll tell you a secret–last year we took a trip and shared a hotel room. They were 16 and 20. Without making a big deal of it, I read to outloud at night. It was like 12 years were GONE. Magic. I’m crying now. That’s the secret part.
Stumbled. (Just realized I am THE MOM with the LADDER from I’ll Love You Forever.) OMG.
Just Stumbled it. 🙂 (laurellakey)
Tweeted!
http://twitter.com/laurellakey
I subscribed! (How didn’t I have you in my reader before!?) My kids are bigger now, so bedtime rituals aren’t as elaborate as they used to be (darn big kids!) but I still must tuck them in and give them kisses every night. My daughter, the younger of my 2, still needs me to straighten her blankets and make sure she’s got her important stuffies!
I tweeted, too: http://twitter.com/HeyPooks/status/9481659685
I subscribed via email… My favorite bedtime ritual is reading to my son, praying to him and ruffling and tickling him till he squeals with laughter.
I am already a subscriber via Google Reader & I just Tweeted about the contest. This is a cool idea! No bedtime ritual here.
Robin I think you did a great job with your portion of the story.
Wow….great giveaway! I just subscribed and also tweeted your giveaway. Now to bedtime rituals…After a bath for my 3yr old and a shower for my 7yr old, they both don jammies. My daughter and I cuddle on her toddler bed and I read her 2 books. Then she takes one of her favorite books to bed and “reads” for another half hour or so. I think she is playing with toys, but whatever. Then my son and I read together in his bed. He reads me a book and then I read to him. After supplying the ever important cup of water, blankie and closing of the closet doors, kids are in bed!
Lori
When my kiddos were little, my husband and I would make the rounds saying prayers with each child. They always added such sweet and caring words for the people and pets in their lives. My teen daughter still receives her goodnight hugs from us.
I’m a google reader subscriber.
Thanks!
Bed time at our house is an important part of the day. For me, it entails reading to myself. For my husband, it entails talking to the children as he tucks them in, saying prayers with them, and generally making sure the kids know he is present.
You see, once the kids were old enough to go to sleep without a bottle, my husband took over the bedtime ritual. He wanted that personal time with them. My kids are 9 and 12 now and he’s still tucking them in every night. I may make the occasional appearance, but bed time is his gig.
Robin, I stumbled your post.
Robin, I also tweeted about your post. 😉
I tweeted @SuzyCucumber.
My favorite thing is reading to my 3YO. Hands down.
http://twitter.com/Jenny86753oh9/status/9483615924
I subscribe to you already! 😉
Our nightly bedtime routine is one that we’ve done for years. We pick out a good mystery/action book from the library and every night we read 1-2 chapters before kissing the boys goodnight. It gives them great dreams which means they can’t wait to fall asleep!
That’s amazing! Are Canadians eligible to enter?
My husband always tucks the kids in and has a different novel that he reads each night to each child. And then I go up and say prayers with ’em.
Great prizes, and I’m excited for you!
I subscribe in my reader.
One bedtime ritual since they were too young to understand the words and continues now with them at ages 13 and 9, is this hands-on blessing:
the Lord bless you and keep you,
the Lord make His face shine on you,
and be gracious toward you.
The Lord lift up His countenance toward you.
And give you His peace.
In the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Amen.
I tweeted, Robin.
http://twitter.com/dawnsgoodlife/status/9484677580
Bedtime is just about our favorite time of day around here. We start early because we read. A lot. Like for more than an hour. We’ve gone through all the classic chapter books, some not so classic (that Pippi Longstocking is one sassy gal) and I also write and illustrate my own stories for the 6YO which he loves. It’s a great way to end the day.
Reading before bed with the puppies around us is my favorite bed time ritual.
At bedtime, we name all the people who love us. Mommy loves W, Daddy loves W, Jackdog loves W…Who else loves W? and let the kids name other family members, friends, and teachers.
i subscribed (again) 😉
my bedtime ritual with the roo-girl was set after her father died when she was 3 and she wouldn’t sleep in her own bed. we made it a routine: bath, jammies, book (usually the same one every night) and our final words to each other: “i love you from the bottom of the ocean to the top of the sky and all the way around the world.”
we still say that — and she’s 15.
Congratulations! I hope more companies sit up and take note. I’m surprise they think your son is still in the range for their products. I wonder how came up with that. I hope it’s not accurate (our poor DS still wears sleep pants) or else we’re in for a few more long years. *sigh
Anyway.
We used to read to our DS every night until he seemed to have an a-ha moment and his reading skills took off. Now we send him to bed with kisses and let him read on his own. He’s devouring books and reading things I used to read when I was his age. I miss story time but love that we have to make him put the book down and turn out the lights!
I’ve had you in my reader for a long time little lady. 😀
I just subscribed via Google Reader. As for bedtime rituals, we used to have one in which I sat next to my son’s bed for two hours, trying to convince him that there was nothing to be afraid of and that I would be right in the next room. After months of this, I finally gave up and now our “ritual” involves me fighting for space on my bed and trying to avoid getting kicked in the face when he slithers around.
Tweeted for you
http://twitter.com/ADramaticMommy/status/9487983871
I’m subscribed to you via a reader. My night time habits include praying with the kids and making sure they’re snugly tucked in and warm, especially during these winter months!
Tweet: http://twitter.com/comefollowme/status/9488054632
We don’t have kids yet, so our bedtime ritual isn’t as involved, but we have a devotion together and talk every night. Even when it’s late and we are tired and aren’t planning to “slumber party” we end up cuddling and talking before we fall asleep. It’s one of my favorite parts of the day!
I’m subsribed.
One of my favorite bedtime memories as a kid was getting read aloud to. I loved it.
Email subscriber!
After a the bathroom’s revolving door stops spinning from showers, brushing teeth, etc..I still ‘tuck in’ all of my kids. (Even my 13 year old!) I spend a few minutes with each child just chit chatting before bed and then I cover them up, kiss them, and tell them I love them. I guess that’s pretty basic..but totally crucial! I’ll do it as long as they let me.
Tweeted:
http://twitter.com/BBandAblog/status/9491748144
I love laying in bed with my daughter listening to her tell me about her day.
I stumbled. (First time by the way, lol) Username bbandablog.
You are so cute. I’m so excited for you and your new gig! And I’m already subscribed OF COURSE so I’ll share my bedtime ritual which is nothing inventive. After the typical pajamas, teeth, potty, water business, we read a story (if there’s time) and then I lay down with each one and chat for a bit before saying goodnight. It’s always a nice way to unwind at the end of the day. 🙂
I subscribe in Reader!
I love it when all my kids just fall asleep from being so tired from the day. No work, and a nice quiet night!
Tweeted!
http://twitter.com/3bundlesforme
We always do “what was your favorite part of the day.” Sweet little voices say, “My favorite part of the day waaasss….” One of my faves is when Mikelle said her favorite part of the day was when Sissy (her twin) got a spank’in in the bath tub!
I subscribe. And right now my favorite bedtime ritual is putting her in her PJs and cuddling a little. 🙂
I also Stumbled this post.
Of course I already subscribe to you in Feedburner. Our nightly ritual is to make Doodle go to the bathroom (she always swears she doesn’t have to go but does!), tuck her in and say prayers. Congratulations on the great accomplishment here – I’m sure your writing is spectacular — even if they had to edit some of the graphic stuff out 🙂
Can’t wait to read your chapter!!! What a fun, exciting project! Way to go GoodNites for an innovative campaign!!!
I subscribe. One of my favorite rituals is reading our scriptures together as a family before bedtime. THanks for the chance to win this awesome prize.
I’ve got you all set up in my reader. Our bedtime ritual consists of my 2yo watching a Classical Baby DVD, the music helps him relax. Then off to put on the overnight diaper, hook him up to his machines and then he smooches my face and says Muuuuuuah!
I’m asubscriber and my fav. bedtime ritual is sipping a cup of hot tea.
I subscribed! I enjoy reading to my great-niece & niece when I get to babysit. They really enjoy it too. Thanks for the chance to win!
I subscribed to you via e-mail.
I love the time before bed when my girls are all clean, smelling good, toothbrushed, and ready to snuggle up and read. I read with each of them separately, so I get time with each of them alone. We sing a special prayer that Jewish people say before they go to sleep at night, and then I sing “You Are My Sunshine,” which is true about both of them. I love that I get to put them to bed almost every night…
I’m so proud of you, Robin! I’m going to download the story for my two preschoolers!
The giveaway looks great, I’d LOVE to win!
i subscribed
My favorite bedtime ritual is after all the teeth are brushed and pjs are put on, is when we lie down to read 3 books. No more, no less. And then I tuck the babies into bed and kiss their foreheads.
I’m a subscriber!
My favorite bedtime ritual is prayers. I love love love me some little kid prayers.
I subscribed, I tweeted, I commented and as soon as I figure out how, I will stumble it! And I’m thinking about hiring a skywriter and also having your url tattooed on my forehead– because THAT’S how crazy about you I am!
I’m already an email sub (as you know!) and I just love this campaign. Our night time routine include a tuck in bed and a good look at the globe that glows the constellations at night (on my son’s nightstand) along with a prayer or four.
xoxo
I subscribe in google reader. Before we had kids we had friends who spent about an hour on a bed time ritual for their kids, and we vowed not to do that. We kept it short, the kids would brush their teeth and we would read one short book, kiss them good night, and that was it.
Now that my kids are teens they have developed their own bedtime ritual – they fall asleep listening to books on cd.
I tweeted
http://twitter.com/lunaj1456/status/9533238844
So cool!! (Of course I would LOVE to win this awesome prize pack…)
This is really well timed, I’ve been recently lamenting our issues with my nearly 7 year old and reading through some of the facts, statistics and myths on their website was comforting. I love the idea of the bedtime theater, too. My kids of course love bedtime stories and we often listen to music (I put some of their cds into my iTunes). I’m going to download the stories for that, too! Can’t wait for them all to be live – when will your chapter be live? I’m going to run off and do all the other contest entry thingys. =)
Tweeted! http://twitter.com/AmberOliver/statuses/9560097738
I stumbled (and I was already a subscriber but I forgot to mention that on the one about our reading and music ritual comment!) =P
I’m a subscriber. I have to read at night before I go to sleep it calms me and I get a better nights sleep.
my favorite bedtime rituals are hearing my little 3 year old say his “night-night” prayers and kissing both his & my one year old’s heads each night as I check on them before I go to bed…precious moments!
http://twitter.com/back40life/statuses/9608259802
I tweeted 🙂
I signed up for email updates.
We like to end the night with a bubble bath and then read from our favorite books. I raised my girls that way and they are both readers so now I am raising the grandkids that way. Its important to me that they value reading. I think there is so much more to life if you are a reader.
Thanks for entering me:)
I already subscribe:)
Our favorite bedtime routine is praying together and sharing a blessing from our day.
Here is my tweet:)
http://twitter.com/adustyframe/status/9680836397
I’m getting the google reader feed now!
For our two year old we read All the ways I love you, say our prayers, bless our family and sing the “I love you song”.
For us adults, we like to unwind with cuddling under blankets and watching some tv before passing out 🙂
Since my son was born almost 6 years ago I have dreamed of establishing a bedtime routine: snack, bath, story, prayers, bed. But, that has yet to happen. Your post has helped me to see that our family has fallen into it’s own sort of routine. When my second child was born I realized that my son was not getting the same amount of alone time with us as before (duh!). So we started “special nights.” One night a week my son gets to come in our bed and we spend an hour or so doing whatever he wants: reading, talking, singing, playing “I Spy” or the number game. My daughter (our 2nd) has grown and she now also has her “special night.”
I’ve found that our kids eagerly anticipate this alone time and the chance to slee all night in mommy & daddy’s bed. As hard as we try to give them individual, undivided attention every day, they know they’re guaranteed that time each week. Time that they’re other siblings (we’re having #4 this summer) can’t intrude on.
I love it too because it’s a time where each child’s individual personality comes out. One child sings more, one child reads more. I love it!
I’m a google reader subscriber.
We do the same thing every night…it’s like clockwork. We start with a bath, then after jammies are on, I usually read Paige a story or two. When it’s “that time” Paige will start her music (a Lanny Sherwin CD) and Brand will pick her up to put her in my arms so I can rock her. Lately Paige has picked up and saying “No Bed! No Bed!”, she got that from a favorite movie of hers. It’s pretty cute. Then she has her favorite blankets, gives her dad a kiss, high five with both hand and 3 hugs. The lights are turned off and we rock for about 10-15 minutes until she tells me she’s ready. I lay her down, tell her she’s beautiful and that I love her and I close the door.
I absolutely love our bedtime routine. Always the same, yet if we are traveling, Paige adjusts well.
seeryusfam@msn.com
Tweet!
http://twitter.com/SeeryusMama/status/9687329790
seeryusfam@msn.com
Wow! You must be so proud. I’m glad someone tweeted this link and I found you!
Email subscriber.
Bedtime always involves books around here (though that’s negotiable as of today!). I read myself to sleep every night. When granddaughter is around, I read to her, then she reads to me! Often we dispense with the books eventually and just do “story-telling,” trying to outdo each other in the outrageousness department. Thanks for the giveaway and best wishes.
TWEETED:
http://twitter.com/TantaDesChiens/status/9688008427
subscribe. My favorite bedtime ritual is snuggling up in bed and reading to my toddlers. They love it and get so into the stories!
I subscribe to your feed! My kids are teenagers now but we used to always read several, several and more books before bedtime. I suspect that it was a ploy to stay up longer!
tweeted http://twitter.com/annedoggett/status/9692131783
email subscriber
When my children were younger,each night someone would get a chance to select a book/have it read to them.
I subscribe via reader!
My favorite bedtime rituals are singing to my girls at night their 3 favorite songs, then praying with them and snuggling, then finally tucking them in! 🙂
rss subscriber
My favorite bedtime story to read is The Three Little Pigs. – I can read it with my eyes closed by now!
We read a story or two to my nephew, and then
we tuck him in, in his big boy bed, and then we sing to him before while he goes to sleep!
i subscribe by email, lets see it is an adventure every night trying to get my two to bed. We brush are teeth get in are pjs and then we read a story and then make up a story, I saw a line then my son, then my daughter, they always crack me up and my son loves to act his line out he is a goof. thanks for the chance to win eaglesforjack@gmail.com
i tweeted thanks http://twitter.com/eaglesforjack/status/9709207302
Following you in google reader.
I love snuggling with my 3 year old and reading stories. It the only time of days that he is quiet and still!
I already subscribe to you in a Reader (I’ve been a subscriber of yours for awhile now!)
What a neat contest!Looking forward to reading your submission. You have great imaginative thoughts, I’m sure it’s going to be wonderful!
http://twitter.com/taryn237/status/9712892367
They have no idea the things we do for love :). Sweet…:)
I wouldn’t say it’s doing “so well”, but I was THRILLED to get to be a part of this! Thanks, Tara! 🙂