Although I am a highly organized person, okay maybe a little OCD, I was anything but when it came to my kids’ bedtimes. I would kinda try to read them and see when they seemed like they needed to go to sleep or when I needed them to. I honestly never had a regular nightly bedtime. When I tried it a few times, it was an epic fail that ended in tears and frustration for everyone involved.

When your days’ activities consist of coloring and puzzles, I felt like there really wasn’t a need to have my kids on a strict schedule. On days when there weren’t any time sensitive activities, I would let them get up when they wanted. We would do our errands, and then the rest of the day was left for playing, reading, and whatever else.

Well, fast forward a couple of years to a regular school schedule and this momma has a bedtime routine that actually works…for the most part (we still have our nighttime wanderers). Some nights my kids actually ask me to go to bed without any prodding. It truly is one of the best things to have ever happened in my house.

Now, I heart sleep routines more than coffee! I know it’s a big “duh” for many of you who have had a sleep routine since your little one left the womb. But, for someone who is new to the gig, it is so refreshing! I feel that at 8:30, I still have a couple of hours until I have to call it a night. Even on weekends when I am a little more relaxed with the bedtime thing, I find my kids are so tired they follow the routine on their own, give or take a half-hour. I can’t believe it took me six years to finally get it right. Better late than never, right?