Posted by Daddy paul on March 28, 2007 at 06:14 [82.47.80.91]
In Reply to: Bethan is naughty at bedtime... what shall i do? posted by Bethan's Daddy on March 26, 2007 at 18:37
Ahh.. now theres a dillema..
As you guys know Ive managed to settle my girl into a very regular routine and thats what really counts.
Kiki is put to bed at a set time every night and I make sure I spend a lot of quality time with her every night before she sleeps including sometimes a little play or read a bedtime story or sometimes I sing to her ( im quite a good singer y`know ) and after a few tunes she is settled because she knows she is safe because that she hears my voice, sometimes I just talk to her about almost quite mundane things just so she can hear my voice and that helps aswell ( although I do wonder if I may have a reeeaaalllly boring voice lol )
In doing this, she settles quickly.. usually within half an hour and this allows me quality "me" time later on so I can get on with updating my websites and answering my emails which all have to be done but I the advantage is that Kiki doesnt miss out and isnt being ignored becuase Im too focused on the screen.
Sometimes in warmer nights she will settle on the floor next to me on her duvet whilst I work and i wake her up when I call it a night a good few hours later and I take her upstairs to bed. She definatly likes that - its a treat.
One disadvantage in this is that she will find it harder to sleep when your not around.. that something we get often, but like most good daddies im sure you dont spend too many days away from her side :)
So it sounds like me that bethan is missing that and thats why she getting back up or refusing to sleep.. perhaps.. the bedtime is too early for such a growing girl. Even though we like to play forcing a partner to sleep too early will only have her staring at the ceiling and shes bound to jump straight out and back into Daddys arms because she is bored - especially your little bundle of energy! I can see thats the reason she wont settle
Knowing you both as I do, I dont reckon that binding will be the solution, I can imagine the frown on Bethans face as she struggles to get back out again.. I think all youd achieve is getting her on the career path of becoming an escapologist. :)
A good sleep pattern is entirely down to a routine - and that goes for the Daddy aswell btw but since have we Daddies ever followed our own advice? -
So persevere and you will both be rewarded in the long run.
Big Hugs
Daddy Paul and Kiki
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