As I sat watching Bridget Jones, everyone else (including husband, mother and kids) tucked up in bed I thought “Ooh this is nice”... for about 30 seconds!!!
Turns out the 3YOs danger nap at 3PM yesterday afternoon was exactly that! Dangerous.
3YO Wide awake at 11PM. Ready to party.
I sat there for a few seconds dreading how the next 30 minutes was going to play out as I attempt to get the 3YO to sleep.
The thing is I struggle to fight against it. She is my daughter. Second Wind is my middle name. Turns out it’s also hers.
So I flipped it and changed the script.
I pulled out the Caravan sofa bed, covered it in blankets and pillows (with her help), poured her milk, poured me wine, made sure she had all her bedtime comforts and at 23:15 on a Tuesday night we started a girls night in... with a jungle full of animals and her newborn twins that apparently needed a feed!
Yes. That’s right. I made that decision.
... because sometimes routine needs to be replaced by funtine...
...because sometimes a bedtime drama with a 3 YO isn’t going to help anyone’s wellbeing...
...because sometimes what feels like the irresponsible thing to do for our kids may be the thing they need...
...because sometimes Yes is the right tool to use...
...and when I woke up at 2am as an elbow landed in my eye, the television flickering, the glass of wine still full on the table and my 3 YO sleeping tightly (even with flying elbows) I quickly realised our girls night in must have lasted approximately 20 minutes!!
However... the elbows ... the knees... and the feet continued to fly and land on various points of my body from that point forward, and stopped approximately at the time the morning light started to shine through the caravan door that has no blind!! Then the 6YO rocked up at 6.30am asking “Why are you and E sleeping here?” Good question son!! I’m not!!
I also discovered the mattress on the pullout bed is now thinner than I will ever be!
Did I pull out the wrong tool? Should I have pulled out Tool #12 No?
Yes we may be a little extra tired today... Yes I may reflect and ask “WhyTF did I think that was a good idea” (I’m guessing in approx 1 hours time)... Yes we have already had a few grumpy demands (from both of us)... yet I also know we will never get tired of the memory we made last night.
The night I flipped it and changed the script.
I’ll never forget the moment she smiled at me and said “Mummy, Thank You”. She knew. and this morning it was quite nice to share a morning cuddle with the 3YO and not a 41YO who ate kebabs for his tea last night.
There was an opportunity to flip it, change the script and make a magical memory. We took it. I won’t forget it. I don’t think she will. I knew. She knew. Sometimes pulling out Tool #33 and saying ‘Yes’ is the right thing to do 💫
...and now it’s time to head to the office. Yawn. Have a good day all.