We are on week 5 of our summer vacation and so far it has been wonderful! There have been afternoons and nights with stay at home movies and popcorn and late morning snuggling in bed with a good book! Spliced in with lazy days at the pool. I love summer, because it is a time where we can slow down, recharge and connect as a family. My kids love it too and truthfully they all are home bodies who like to spend time with the family.
There is one side effect to all of this though.
I remember the days where there were definite set bed times and that I knew by 8 p.m. every night I would be clear and free of the whole lot of them. Now with one tween and a teen in the house, bed times have gotten a little blurred….
Take for example last night. I had just gotten the 7 year old and toddler to sleep. It was 8:30 and I was dog eared tired, but the teen daughter came into my room and wanted to talk about “stuff” and that talk went on until well past 11 p.m. With the addition of my tween son at 10 p.m., because he thought he was missing a fun party. Sure they are both a lot of fun and there were laughs and giggles behind pillows so we wouldn’t wake up the younger kiddos. There is however a consequence to this late night giggle fest, because this means when the toddler inevitably stumbles into our bedroom after midnight, the hubs and I are too tired to put up much of a defense. Meaning, we go ahead and allow her to slip into our bed with us until the following parenting truth becomes all too painfully clear, once again….
So for this latest Mommy Reality Challenge, my compadre in crime Celeste, has asked up to share what we do when the kids go to bed.
Here is the Mommy Reality Truth about teen bed times.
If you have teens you already know this to be true and for those of you not yet initiated to this truth and still with a set bedtime in your house, I (all parents of teens) everywhere envy you. But know this, your time is coming and it will be sooner than you think. So take this piece of advice from a parent who has not slept soundly in over 13 years and who sees no end in sight, I urge you to seize the day and not fritter away the “after the kids go to bed” time with those cheesy Hallmark made for TV movies!
Just go to sleep! Like right now! I promise you there will be more than enough time later to watch those Hallmark movies as you sit waiting for your kids to get home from outings with friends or *cringe* from dates and such. Or just trying to get them to put down their electronic devices and go to bed already!!
So please repeat after me… Tonight I will go to bed at a decent time, and when I do I will thank my lucky stars I am not yet the parent of a teen who has not gone to bed before midnight for the past 5+ years.
That is all…
Even with my warning, I know you will still stay up late watching those cheesy Hallmark movies and such, because I did it too.
Just know you have been warned.
Now it’s your turn to share! What’s the first thing you do when your kids go to bed?
You have 1 more week to participate!
But don’t wait a week…
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Comments
You just took away any hope that I had of ever getting a good night’s sleep again! Seriously, I miss sleep and that is all LOL!!
Janine Huldie recently posted…Scream For My Calendar
I know my friend, me too. I now see why the older set sleeps so much. It is in order to counteract all of the years of sleep deprivation.
Jen recently posted…The Truth About Teen Bed Times
This made me giggle–especially the part about the toddler stumbling in and getting into your bed and the kittens! I can SO relate–only I don’t have teens yet. Thank you for the warning! Duly noted.
April recently posted…Father’s Week (and the tick story)
Thank you for listening, now go to bed early for me tonight? Ok :)
Jen recently posted…The Truth About Teen Bed Times
Oh! I read your husband’s post too, and it was really really good, but I didn’t get to comment b/c being on vacation means that every person I’m related to talks my ear off and doesn’t let me read or think. ;)
April recently posted…Father’s Week (and the tick story)
Ah yes the joys of vacation! Thanks for the compliment on his post. I think it was one of his best pieces yet!
Jen recently posted…The Truth About Teen Bed Times
I remember this. Oh yes I do. Then they leave home and it’s all good and then they come home because they can’t make it on their own, then they leave again. Then you change the locks. Oh wait, that’s not the question.
Most of us didn’t sleep right until the kids moved out.
Have a fabulous day. ☺
Comedy Plus recently posted…Silly Sunday
Eeek no! Say it ain’t so Joe, say it ain’t so??!! I better start looking into good locksmith companies for in the future….
Jen recently posted…The Truth About Teen Bed Times
Oh gosh, kids wear me out…whenever I have my own children, I’m pretty sure I’ll just pass out as soon as I can. haha It makes sense to want to have time to yourself though, so it’s not always as easy as that! :)
ShootingStarsMag recently posted…DNF Review: Because You’ll Never Meet Me by Leah Thomas
True enough, there is the ever present parenting struggle of what to do with time alone.
Jen recently posted…The Truth About Teen Bed Times
Define a decent bedtime please? I always try to go to bed early…but it never happens!
Kristen recently posted…What is Father’s Day? [VIDEO]
I think the REM sleep experts recommend that your best sleep happens before midnight, right? So do that tonight for me and enjoy those few hours snuggled up in your bed :)
Jen recently posted…The Truth About Teen Bed Times
I seriously haven’t thought that far ahead, but man, I know it’s coming. It just hit me that I’ll probably be sleeping less because they’ll be out and about with their friends and I’ll be remembering myself out and about with my friends and… omg. Kind of want to give them an 8:30 curfew until they’re 30…
Celeste | Leapfrog and Lipgloss recently posted…Perfectly Posh Cold Pampering #Giveaway
Yep right there with you! Eight thirty sounds like a good plan! Jen’s Guy has told our daughters that they may never ever be able to date anyways :)
Jen recently posted…The Truth About Teen Bed Times
Oh man. I remember being a teenager and staying up until 5am. And then sleeping until noon. That really was the life. These days we’re dealing with a toddler who doesn’t seem to want to go to sleep before 10 no matter how tired she is during the day, and is then up before the alarm at 6:45. Maybe it’s time to nod off to sleep. Thanks for the fair warning. And when I fail to take your advice, you have permission to laugh at me and say “I told you so”.
Leslie recently posted…{Tutorial} Easy DIY Magnet Wall
No laughing, I promise! I will just commiserate with you then. It really does seem like sleep is totally wasted on the young, doesn’t it?
Jen recently posted…The Truth About Teen Bed Times
Girl you know that I do homework, catch up on terrible tv and blog. #momlife
Laura funk recently posted…#SummerThemeWeek Recap of Creatures Week! #Recipes
Haha, you watch Hallmark movies don’t you?! Well keep on keeping sister if it makes you happy!
Jen recently posted…The Truth About Teen Bed Times
Hmmmm. The first think I do is usually jump on the computer. While I can do a lot on my smartphone, when I’m with my kid, it’s easiest to do it on the computer. We’re only a week into summer break and yet we’re still so scheduled. Baseball just ended and I’m sad, but a little excited to just relax at night.
Caryn recently posted…Name This Post & Amazon Gift Card Giveaway
I think I see a trend with a lot of the Moms who have responded here and our computer time! I love baseball, but it is really time consuming! I hope you enjoy the time now and can relax into your summer!
Jen recently posted…The Truth About Teen Bed Times
Can you believe we’re not even on week 1 of summer vacation? Tomorrow is the day! But who’s counting?
After my kids go to bed… I usually either fall asleep on the couch (classy), watch TV (classy), or edit photos (classier).
I do remember that summertime is the reason my five-year-old stays up until 9, even though she shouldn’t. Last summer we started that bad habit, and never fixed it. And now it’s summer again. Oh, hello.
Tamara recently posted…Currently, Lately.
Keeping it classy for sure!
At least you are almost there to the end of school! Better late than never right? I was counting days just like you towards the end of the semester and maybe I will be back to that same point around the end of the summer :) I will let you know, Viva those late summer nights!
Jen recently posted…The Truth About Teen Bed Times
What?! So no late morning sleeping in? That’s what I’m looking forward to the most once my kids are older. And yes, right now I am loving the hard-set 8pm bedtime for the kids. Which means I get to tinker around with my blog, watch television with the hubs, cook and read. 11pm? Oh man I’d be a zombie!
Nina recently posted…How I Failed as a Mom… and Why It Wasn’t as Bad as I Thought
Sheesh I wish! The toddler is morally opposed to sleeping in, but maybe someday she will sleep past seven? Here’s to hoping! I would really like to be less zombie-ish….
Jen recently posted…The Truth About Teen Bed Times
Oh man, sleep is so precious.
Yes, but it’s merits truly are wasted on the young.
Jen recently posted…The Truth About Teen Bed Times
I’m not sure the internet can handle a post about me sitting on the couch playing Candy Crush and watching reruns with my husband! That or falling asleep in the kids’ room and not waking up for another hour!
Rabia @TheLiebers recently posted…10 Couples to Trade Places with for a Day
Hahaha! Yep, some of our mommy reality is better left unpublished? I always tell myself I will only be on the floor of the kids room for a short time and yet it always seems that it is at minimum, at least 2 hours later I am dragging myself off the floor and into bed!
Jen recently posted…The Truth About Teen Bed Times
Fortunately, my 16-year old son has to wake up at 5 something a.m. so he goes to bed at 10 ritually and has for years. He might be staying up later if it weren’t for the school schedule. Wait, it’s summer and he does. He’s been going to bed at 3-5 a.m. and sleeping ALL day. I guess that beats worrying about what my teenager is doing all summer, though he is trying to get a job.
As for me and the S.O. We also go to bed at 10. I just have to tuck my son in and say goodnight, but I’m usually no more than a few minutes behind. Yes, he still lets me tuck him in! I wouldn’t change it for the world!
Yay for summer! I think we have those same sleeping schedules going on around here. Luckily though, I have a toddler in house who likes to wake up nice and early and torment her brother and sisters!
Jen recently posted…Mommy Reality #39: Summer Lovin’
Hi Jen, I well and truly missed this Reality Challenge! I know I’ve been a bit off the ball recently, but now I fear it’s worse than I imaged!
Debbie recently posted…People With Aspergers Syndrome…
Hey no worries! It’s summer and the stress levels should be way low, right? :)
Jen recently posted…Mommy Reality #39: Summer Lovin’
It’s like you can see into my brain. How do you know the exact mental argument I have with myself every night?
Jenny @ Unremarkable Files recently posted…Yes, I Have Five Kids. No, I’m Not Neglecting Any of Them.
Yep, I think it is the inner battle for sleep we Moms all seem to share!
Jen recently posted…Back To The Best Of JENerally Informed
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