You may recall recently I wrote about the difficulty I have had getting my youngest to go to sleep. I am happy to say that things are better in that she’s not sleeping in our bed. She sleeps in her own all night long and she’s going to bed at a reasonable hour. And I want to reiterate, she is staying in her bed all night long. This is a big thing since most nights she was in our bed.
We have a routine down. And while bedtime isn’t perfect she is at least going to sleep and staying asleep. So in my mind that is a total win.
I definitely am not complaining that she cries for no more than five minutes after I put her in her crib. While I would love it if she just went to bed with no tears at least I’m not in her room every night listening to her scream for an hour. I’m also not trying to sneak out of there only to have her wake up later. So total win win.
And yet there are certain things that are just completely taboo at bedtime with her.
I Can’t Say Bed
In our house BED is actually a 4 letter word! It mine as well be a swear word with how my daughter will carry on when anyone utters it. The mere mention of the word bed sends her into a fit.
I tell her it’s time to change your diaper and go to bed and she cries. She goes to get her diaper changed, but she cries the whole time. I can’t even read her bed time story without her crying anymore.
I have thought about reading the story elsewhere than in her room, but I don’t want her to connect reading to something she hates so much. And clearly that is bed.
If I were to start reading to her on the couch I’m afraid every time I go to read her a story on the couch she would think I’m trying to put her to bed. So I will keep our routine the same. She’ll get her bedtime story with her brother on his bed and we will say our good nights with kisses all around and tuck her into bed.
Hopefully eventually the bed time story will just become a part of her day and she’ll accept it and not be so upset. Hopefully I can put her to bed without her crying every night at some point in the near future. Hopefully someday the mere mention of a simple word will not be a bad word. Or at least won’t send her into hysterics like it currently does.
I think all of this can happen sooner rather than later. After all our bedtime routine changed into a much more manageable routine very quickly. So eventually she’ll come to accept it and go along with it. And maybe at least look forward to the bedtime story.
She is such a smart little girl though. Two years old and just the word bed is a bad word in her mind.
What’s a four letter word in your house?
