Tuesday, October 09, 2007

Big Boy

Or getting there, at least.

John used to go to sleep by himself. When he was in a crib, we'd just put him in and boom, out. Then, when he got a toddler bed and a whole room to explore, I had to go lay down with him for a few minutes. Then he'd go to sleep.

(And he didn't like his toddler bed, either. We'd usually lay down on the floor, and then I'd come back later and put John in bed. And he'd be back on the floor the next day.)

But he sleeps good in the big bed he sleeps in now! Unfortunately, when he first got it I got in the habit of laying down with him until he went to sleep. Hell, I'd usually go to sleep, too. But that meant my day ended at nine-thirty or thereabouts.

So! Sonya and I have played the Big Boy card. As in, "you're getting to be a big boy, you'll be four next month, you need to go to sleep by yourself." And it's working. I go in there for fifteen minutes, then I leave.

Do I get called back four or five times? Yes. Do I eventually have to say "I'm not coming back in here?" Yes.

[Last night, on my fourth or fifth return trip, John actually looked at me and said "you're not coming back in here again?" I guess I was showing my I've-Had-It face.]

But then he goes on to sleep (or quiet play, at least) and Sonya and I get to hang out on the couch for a little while and have grown-up talk. And brother, that's worth fifty trips to check on the kid.

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