discipline

In article ,
"James and Karen Stewart" wrote:

Alot of you have said stricter, but how do you get stricter, We feel like
all we do is yell, and it is makig us both feel depressed and
useless...like we may as well be talking to the wall.
When she comes out of her room we are screaming at her "get to your bed NOW
!!!" We take her back up, cover her again and shut her door, she is
crying and screaming back " I'm scared, I'm really really scared"
Then I go back in tell her " If you don't go to bed whatever you are scared
of in here is nothing to what you should be scared of ...ME!!!"
"GO TO SLEEP !!!!!!!!" the screaming continues...so how to I be more
strict without holding her down or gluing her to the bed. ??? Or geting a
strait jacket for her so she can't open the door !!....HEHE

Thanks for all suggestions

KAren



It sounds as though your household is in an incredibly negative cycle
regarding bedtime, and something rather drastic may need to be done to
break the cycle.

This is kind of a bizarre suggestion, but you might try attacking it
from the other end: try telling them that you are going to set the
get-up time, but you are going to let them set their own bedtime: the
only rule is that they have to go into their rooms and change into
pajamas (or whatever other evening ritual you want) when they go to bed.
Then start getting the kids up REALLY EARLY in the morning (like 6 AM or
even earlier). Explain that if they start to fall asleep in the living
room, you will know that it is bedtime, and they will have to go to bed,
because they've gotten too big to carry -- but as long as they are awake
and want to be awake, when they go to bed is up to them, at least for
the rest of the summer. You will have to pay enough attention to jog
them awake whenever they start to drift off -- but do it cheerfully and
with some sort of raucaus activity. You might eliminate any TV or
videos in the evening. Try to stick with it *without comment on the
time they choose to go to bed* for at least three weeks: the first ten
days at least for them to believe that they are really choosing their
own bedtime, the next for them to figure out when they are tired enough
to go to sleep. Since they don't usually nap, you may have to work at
keeping them awake during the day -- but do it. The most important
thing will be consistency and cheerfulness.

The hard part is that YOU will have to get up at 0-dark-thirty every
day, and drag them out of bed.

However, by putting them in charge of bedtime, they MAY figure out how
much sleep they need and how to go to bed at night without the two hours
of misery.

This is sort of a variant of what I did when my kids were older: I told
them that once they could get up on their own, with their own alarm
clock, and get dressed and breakfasted and to school on time without me
having to wake them or do any nagging, they could set their own bedtime.
For us, that worked like a charm. My oldest stayed up ALL NIGHT the
first night -- and found out why I usually sent her to bed earlier.

Alternatively, you might even say that for the next four weeks, there
will be NO bedtime, and they can set their own schedules completely;
that wouldn't work well for me, I don't think, but it might break the
cycle of what HAS been happening enough to allow a new pattern once
school starts.

Mostly, I think when a household has fallen into a negitive cycle about
anything, some sort of drastic change may be the only way to break the
cycle -- and those are the most drastic changes *I* can think of.

meh
--
Children won't care how much you know until they know how much you care

On Mon, 28 Jul 2003 02:11:29 GMT, dragonlady
wrote:

well, yes and no

It's OK to tell her there are no monsters: that's just a statement of
fact. It doesn't do any good, and DOES belittle her, to insist that she
has to stop being afraid: she IS afraid, and that, too, is just a
statement of fact.

Yours is a good approach, imo.

I like to use more imagination in terms of allowing kids to
*conquer* the monsters, but that is just different styles and
not difference in substance.

Both your posts give good advice, imo... And the OP can
take what she likes from either of us and leave the things
she dislikes out.


--
Dorothy

There is no sound, no cry in all the world
that can be heard unless someone listens ..
Outer Limits

Bippy wrote:

----- Original Message -----
From: "toto"
Newsgroups: misc.kids
Sent: Sunday, July 27, 2003 3:15 PM
Subject: discipline

| No, that's not discipline. Punishment and discipline are not
| synonyms.

Actually, they *are* synonyms. ;-) www.m-w.com
--------------
Only because of human **** who think that way, in other words,
usage by a fraction of the populace has NO relation to Truth!


Seriously, when bribes and reward charts don't work, reasoning and
pleading have failed, sometimes you just have to find their "sweet
spot" and threaten it. For a social child, you might tell them if they
come out of their room they'll be grounded. For children who love
their TV, they would lose that priviledge. Or it might mean losing
sweets or soda for a while, or missing a special event coming up, or a
playdate. Consider what they love the most at that particular moment
and threaten to yank it if they disobey. Nothing wrong with that.
--------------------
You deserve to be dragged to the curb and shot through the head.
What you recommend is PRECISELY what causes all the evil on earth!!

You're a vicious abusive cowardly little religious bigot.
And you're nothing but live human ****.
Steve

x-no-archive:yes
blacksalt wrote:

I was number 6, and it was always my father's job to get us to bed. We
had a ritual, as I recall bathing, brushing and a read story. If I
didn't seem ready to go to sleep promptly, he lay in bed with me, in the
dark, with my head on his arm, and we **very quietly** talked. Sometimes
he sang Swanee River, very quietly, sometimes we talked about a spider
on the ceiling (who was wandering around because he dropped his lolly
pop), or he told stories. Sometimes we did slow, even breathing
together, and relaxed one limb at a time. When I was definitely sleepy,
he'd put on the nightlight (I was terribly afraid of monsters), and tip

I do not remember being afraid of monsters and AFAIK none of my kids
were either. At least I didn't believe in monsters and they never had
any trouble sleeping or ever told me they were afraid of monsters. I
don't know if this is inherited or not?

My mom did not let us see any scarey movies and my kids didn't see
much TV either because in those days (40 years ago) it wasn't common
to have more than one set, there was no cable to speak of, no video
tapes - altogether a simpler time.

My sister and I were 2.5 years apart, and we were read the same books.
There was no - different books for different ages stuff. My two
oldest are 2 years apart, and they also had the same books read to
them.

Of course some of this may be because we shared a bedroom and my
oldest two shared a bedroom until they were 2nd and 4th grades.

toe out. I think it was like a kind of child hypnosis...and took a good
part of his time, given all the years he did it for all of us.
The summer I had my niece and nephew, it was the same thing, only I
never had to lay in bed with them and talk. They did take a hour of my
nights with the ritual, however. When they seemed alittle restless, I'd
have them sleep on the porch (the 'thrill of camping') in their bags and
I'd lay on the floor this side of the door and tell them a last story
while they looked at the stars.
Personally, I'd start a ritual, staying with her until she fell asleep
if necessary, and then start paring back. But be prepared to give up an
hour of your evening. I felt just *cherished* by my father, and that was
probably the secret.
blacksalt

It sounds like that to me too. We were on a train trip and my sister
wanted my dad to read her a story. It was about midnight. My dad was
working on something, and he said he'd read her a story if she could
stay awake until he finished what he was doing. She was asleep almost
instantly.

I used the same technique with mine when I wanted them to take a nap.
If they were still awake after lying quiet and still on their bed for
15 minutes, then they could get up and play quietly in their room
until their sister woke up from her nap. And the younger sister often
did take a nap. (If she didn't lie quiet, then the time started over)

It sounds to me like a couple of things with the OP.

First - she has an unrealistic idea of what discipline is and what is
effective behavior modification for a child. So what she is doing is
not working, and she doesn't know how to change it.

Second- the children have gotten into the habit of getting attention
by crying and acting out. And your son wants to be with his parents
on the couch where interesting stuff is going on.

There are several approaches to take.

1) As someone else (meh) suggested, don't have a bedtime, but an
enforced getting up time. You might do that anyway even without the
idea that they can set their own bedtime. Very good idea.

2) When you want her/them to go to bed, you and your husband take them
(one each) up to bed, put them in bed and stay with them for a
reasonable amount of time. Leave the lights on if they want. Or a
radio or nightlights or whatever seems reasonable. Let them decide
whether they want a light and what kind. Or if they want the door
open or not.

Then go into your bedroom. Tell the children that you will be there
if there is an emergency, but otherwise they are not to disturb you.
If they come out of their rooms, don't speak to them, just take them
back to bed. No screaming or shouting or even talking - just take
them back to bed every time they come out of their room. It may take
some time since they will not believe that behavior that has been
successful will not be successful again if they persist.

That way, there isn't any reason for ds to fall asleep on the couch -
no one will be there to cuddle with.

If you and dh want to watch TV, maybe get a small set for the bedroom,
but don't use it at first. And don't let them get into bed with you
unless you want to do that.


grandma Rosalie

I think that poart of this problem was caused by having them in my bed when
they were babies, it started with the breastfeeding,bringing them into my
bed to feed during the night. Then as they grew they just would wake in the
middle of the night thinking it was the community bed they would climb in.
I and my hubby most times would not wake up when they did this so they would
stay all night.

I must say that last night was a good night with my DD. What we did
yesterday is set down a list of rules, I made them up ...asking for input on
what should be her bedtime, she clearly doesn't yet understand time after
telling me 7:00.....seeing as right now it isn't even dark at 7 pm, it would
be hard for her to go to bed then ( this tends to be a complaint "it isn't
dark yet" she tells me that when it is bedtime and no dark, assuming it must
be dark for bedtime). Anyhow I made up 3 rules last night, one being
that she is to remeber to ask for her snakc if she wants one beofre going up
the stairs and that bedtime is at 8:30-9:00 and that by 9:00 she must be in
bed, with no complaints of not being tired or being thirsty.
I also made up a few other rules, one to do with picking up her toys and
cleaning her room when she is asked and respecting mom and dad when we
request these things to be done. If she doesn't do what she is asked then
she will not be able to go out of the yard to play or not be able to watch
her cartoons, or no movie night etc.

She seems to understand that she needs to do certain things, she just needs
to know the consequences.
So last night we did a really fast bath thanks to DH, the kids had decided
to put the wet sand all over their legs, so a bath was needed. After bath
they got dreses ( with some help for DS) and then they asked for a snack,
after snack it was 9;00 and up to bed she went, I took her up and she asked
for daddy to come up and say goodnight to, so he did. In the meantime DS
had cuddle up on the couch with his horsey and he was nearly asleep when DH
came back down from saying night to DD.

So all in all, we had from 9:20- 10:30 to ourselves, then we went to bed,
having had a nice adult relaxing time, quiet time, and some adult
conversation.

Karen


"Rosalie B." wrote in message
...
x-no-archive:yes
blacksalt wrote:

I was number 6, and it was always my father's job to get us to bed. We
had a ritual, as I recall bathing, brushing and a read story. If I
didn't seem ready to go to sleep promptly, he lay in bed with me, in the
dark, with my head on his arm, and we **very quietly** talked. Sometimes
he sang Swanee River, very quietly, sometimes we talked about a spider
on the ceiling (who was wandering around because he dropped his lolly
pop), or he told stories. Sometimes we did slow, even breathing
together, and relaxed one limb at a time. When I was definitely sleepy,
he'd put on the nightlight (I was terribly afraid of monsters), and tip

I do not remember being afraid of monsters and AFAIK none of my kids
were either. At least I didn't believe in monsters and they never had
any trouble sleeping or ever told me they were afraid of monsters. I
don't know if this is inherited or not?

My mom did not let us see any scarey movies and my kids didn't see
much TV either because in those days (40 years ago) it wasn't common
to have more than one set, there was no cable to speak of, no video
tapes - altogether a simpler time.

My sister and I were 2.5 years apart, and we were read the same books.
There was no - different books for different ages stuff. My two
oldest are 2 years apart, and they also had the same books read to
them.

Of course some of this may be because we shared a bedroom and my
oldest two shared a bedroom until they were 2nd and 4th grades.

toe out. I think it was like a kind of child hypnosis...and took a good
part of his time, given all the years he did it for all of us.
The summer I had my niece and nephew, it was the same thing, only I
never had to lay in bed with them and talk. They did take a hour of my
nights with the ritual, however. When they seemed alittle restless, I'd
have them sleep on the porch (the 'thrill of camping') in their bags and
I'd lay on the floor this side of the door and tell them a last story
while they looked at the stars.
Personally, I'd start a ritual, staying with her until she fell asleep
if necessary, and then start paring back. But be prepared to give up an
hour of your evening. I felt just *cherished* by my father, and that was
probably the secret.
blacksalt

It sounds like that to me too. We were on a train trip and my sister
wanted my dad to read her a story. It was about midnight. My dad was
working on something, and he said he'd read her a story if she could
stay awake until he finished what he was doing. She was asleep almost
instantly.

I used the same technique with mine when I wanted them to take a nap.
If they were still awake after lying quiet and still on their bed for
15 minutes, then they could get up and play quietly in their room
until their sister woke up from her nap. And the younger sister often
did take a nap. (If she didn't lie quiet, then the time started over)

It sounds to me like a couple of things with the OP.

First - she has an unrealistic idea of what discipline is and what is
effective behavior modification for a child. So what she is doing is
not working, and she doesn't know how to change it.

Second- the children have gotten into the habit of getting attention
by crying and acting out. And your son wants to be with his parents
on the couch where interesting stuff is going on.

There are several approaches to take.

1) As someone else (meh) suggested, don't have a bedtime, but an
enforced getting up time. You might do that anyway even without the
idea that they can set their own bedtime. Very good idea.

2) When you want her/them to go to bed, you and your husband take them
(one each) up to bed, put them in bed and stay with them for a
reasonable amount of time. Leave the lights on if they want. Or a
radio or nightlights or whatever seems reasonable. Let them decide
whether they want a light and what kind. Or if they want the door
open or not.

Then go into your bedroom. Tell the children that you will be there
if there is an emergency, but otherwise they are not to disturb you.
If they come out of their rooms, don't speak to them, just take them
back to bed. No screaming or shouting or even talking - just take
them back to bed every time they come out of their room. It may take
some time since they will not believe that behavior that has been
successful will not be successful again if they persist.

That way, there isn't any reason for ds to fall asleep on the couch -
no one will be there to cuddle with.

If you and dh want to watch TV, maybe get a small set for the bedroom,
but don't use it at first. And don't let them get into bed with you
unless you want to do that.


grandma Rosalie

Putting kids to bed early is abuse,...O.K....... If you say so....(What
EVER!!!)

Putting kids to bed early is not JUST so we can have sex, we like to have
some time alone together to talk about adult stuff, bills, trips, house
chores/ yard work, upcoming birthdays for the children , Xmas...... etc.
not just so we can have sex, ( and by the way...just so you know...the lack
of sex in a marriage is another stress put on top of the kids not listening
and behaving as we wish them to...... )

Putting kids to bed early, if they are not truely tired does not do anything
for them it only gives the parents alone time, but I am not doing that...my
child telling me she is not tired is only an excuse, which she has used many
times, and if you cry wolf often enough nobody will believe you.....and this
is what she has done, she has sat on my couch half asleep, yawning and then
when we say it's bed time she says "but I'm not tired", in a voice that
sounds like it just woke up. It is not that she is not tired it is that
she kows we are still up and she doesn't want to miss something.

I am not forcing her to go to sleep but she can read and she can look at a
book quietly in her room if she is truely not tired, I have no problem with
that. I am at home with her and my son all day, at 9 pm it is time for me
time, a break from them.

I am not ashamed that I would like to have some time to myslef and time
alone with my husband so we can have sex once in a while..... I don't agree
that you should put on a video and tell the kids to watch it so we can go
have sex and come back all happy..... I don't think we should leave the door
opened either.

I don't know if you have kids, but soething tells me you don't and if you
do you shouldn't !!



"R. Steve Walz" wrote in message
...
James and Karen Stewart wrote:

Am I the only one who finds it hard to discipline the children ???
Or
is the a common problem ? I have a hard time with bed time. I want
the
kids to go to bed at a certain time 8:30-9:00 would be great. I find
myself
doing bathtime, and then snack and then trying to get them into bed and
having my 6 year old tell me she is not tired...I tell her that she
doesn't
have to sleep just go to bed and read a book if she wants to.

She doesn't want to go to bed alone..she wants my husband or me to
stay
with her. Mainly the reason for this is she says she is scared in her
room
alone..... We have a two storey house and I am wondering what I can doto
make her less afraid up their alone. She doesn't read scary books or
watch
a scary show before bed, and I have gone in her closet in the dark to
prove
to her that there is nothing in there.

What can I do to get her to go upstairs and go to bed before 10-10:30 at
night.

She will be going to school everyday come Sept. so I need to get this
problem fixed.

Hubby and I haven't had even an hour or down/alone time at night for the
last 2 weeks. We are going insane...sometimes you need just a few hours
alone a week, but there is just no time for us to be alone together
lately.
Please don't suggest that we go out for supper and get a
sitter...because we
do get time alone....just not often. The kids will be going to their
grandparents for a few night and we are going away overnight in Aug.
but
it's just the last two weeks have been a pain and a really trying time
for
us with the kids.

Also my son wants to cuddle on the couch everynight with me and fall
asleep with me. Come Sept he will be starting Junior kindergardten and
will
need to fall asleep earlier in his own bed. I have tried to suggest
cuddling in his bed but he wants to cuddle on the couch.

Any ideas
Thanks
Karen
-------------------
You want time for sex, but you're couching it in terms inspired
by your shame, which stimulates you to anger and resentment, thus angry
efforts at "discipline".

Instead, interest your children in leaving you alone and watching
a tape in the next room while you have sex in the bedroom. If
you're not sane enough to leave the door open, and make sex appear
normal to your children, then at least tell them that you have to
take a half hour or so doing what mommies and daddies have to do
together to stay married. Then come out and cuddle with them
afterwards and they will feel the relaxed difference in your
demeanor and know that you did something very nice together.

You see, this whole thing REALLY isn't about "discipline" at all,
it's about getting everyone's needs met, and you can ask that of
your kids if you're nice to them, and they will help you. But honor
their feelings and needs, and they will honor yours gladly!

But putting kids to bed early is merely abuse, they simply aren't
tired yet anymore than you are. You're simply taking unfair advantage
of your size, and that will cost you a LOT later when they're older!!
Steve

"toto" wrote in message
...
On Mon, 28 Jul 2003 02:11:29 GMT, dragonlady
wrote:

well, yes and no

It's OK to tell her there are no monsters: that's just a statement of
fact. It doesn't do any good, and DOES belittle her, to insist that she
has to stop being afraid: she IS afraid, and that, too, is just a
statement of fact.

Yours is a good approach, imo.

I like to use more imagination in terms of allowing kids to
*conquer* the monsters, but that is just different styles and
not difference in substance.

Both your posts give good advice, imo... And the OP can
take what she likes from either of us and leave the things
she dislikes out.

just to give the third variation - after trying to convince my older son
when he was little that there were no monsters (& failing spectacularly as
you'd expect) we gave him an anti-monster charm & i changed my line to *i*
don't believe in monsters (while saying it was ok that he does, because we
could fix the problem). he didn't believe in monsters very long after that.
with my little son i always just said that i don't believe in monsters
(didn't bother trying to convince him otherwise.) he was more curious about
different ways to get rid of them (he enjoyed hearing that monsters are
scared of mummies & that's why we won't get any, because they are all scared
of me & i don't believe in them anyway so they can't come in. it doesn't
make logical sense but it worked for him. at the end of the day, what he
apparently thought might have been a monster outside was in fact some other
noise (can't remember what) which occurred at bedtime one night so i could
explain what it was & he doesn't worry any more.)

to make a long story short, i think where evidence of no monster activity
can possibly be presented, it should be, while acknowledging that the child
may still believe in them, but his parents will help allay his fear & help
him feel powerful.

i do think that fear of monsters in children over 5-ish isn't fear of
monsters, but fear of something else (or possibly delaying tactics, or
possibly both.)
kylie

"James and Karen Stewart" wrote in message
.. .
I think that poart of this problem was caused by having them in my bed
when
they were babies, it started with the breastfeeding,bringing them into my
bed to feed during the night. Then as they grew they just would wake in
the
middle of the night thinking it was the community bed they would climb in.
I and my hubby most times would not wake up when they did this so they
would
stay all night.

no, that's not it at all :-) my older son was getting in bed with us until
it finally petered out at 6. my younger son (who spent much more time in
there as a baby) has done it, iirc, only twice since he left my bed at 7
mos. i just assumed that my older son got comfort from it, or it was a
comfort habit for him that he got into, & my younger one just never needed
it though he does know he's always welcome to get in in the night if he's
scared. some kids just like it & others don't bother.

I must say that last night was a good night with my DD.

that's good!! :-)
kylie

On Mon, 28 Jul 2003 09:15:39 -0400, James and Karen Stewart wrote:
Putting kids to bed early is abuse,...O.K....... If you say so....(What
EVER!!!)


R.S.W. is the resident net.kook. Your choices are either to killfile him, if you
don't like net.kooks, or to use him as fodder for never-ending, mindless
entertainment, sort of like watching Survivor. ;-)

Sometimes he actually says something meaningful, but it tends to be because
of the infinite monkeys/infinite typewriters effect...

- Rich

Stop screaming and be firm and nonchalant as you can. I think you are doing
what I do too much of and that is talking too much. Talk less, make
expectations clear and follow through. Tell her it is time for bed, read her
a book, get her snack. When you are done reading the book, and if she is not
tired, then give her some more books to look at or get a tape recorder of
her own so she can listen to books or music. Giving her a flashlight may
even help. I know it did for my daughter. If she comes down again, take her
back upstairs without a lot of talking or reprimanding. Keep doing this and
be consistent and she will soon learn that you won't budge on this. What
bothers me is that she sounds like my 6-year-old in that she is probably
really afraid. Can you not just sit with her for a while until she is
relaxed enough? On the nights that were really bad with my daughter, I would
either let her sleep with me or I would go sleep with her or at least stay
until she was calmed down. I don't think it helps at all to belittle her for
her fears. I think you need to find the underlying cause of why she doesn't
want to go to sleep. Perhaps during the day, when she is calm, talk about
her fears, ask what scares her and talk through it. Perhaps she has some
ideas of what would help her go to sleep. Putting my daughter in with her
older sister has helped a lot, but now she won't go to bed without her
sister, but it works for me for all of my girls to go to bed at the same
time.

Monsters were a big problem with my now 6-year-old and started when she was
three. I don't like the monster spray idea because after you say there are
no monsters, but then get the monster spray, it is kind of hypocritical. I
empowered my daughter and told her to tell the monsters that she is afraid
of to go away. I left a light on in her room and I let her look under the
bed and in the attic to give her control of her fears. The books that
someone has mentioned are the same books I read. I am just really consistent
with bedtime and as a result, I don't have many issues surrounding it. I
have a lot of problems with *positive disipline* also Karen, so you're not
alone. It is very hard to change the way you are used to disiplining, but I
think you owe it to yourself and you're kids, if you find a new technique. I
have been reading Love and Logic and I can't say enough good things about
the book. Maybe you can read it and it will give you some better techniques
to use. Good luck. Email me if you want to vent or scream, I can relate very
well to how you are feeling.

Oh, and killfile Steve. He is an idiot and not to be listened to.

--
Sue
mom to three girls

James and Karen Stewart wrote in message
...
Alot of you have said stricter, but how do you get stricter, We feel
like
all we do is yell, and it is makig us both feel depressed and
useless...like we may as well be talking to the wall.
When she comes out of her room we are screaming at her "get to your bed
NOW
!!!" We take her back up, cover her again and shut her door, she is
crying and screaming back " I'm scared, I'm really really scared"
Then I go back in tell her " If you don't go to bed whatever you are
scared
of in here is nothing to what you should be scared of ...ME!!!"
"GO TO SLEEP !!!!!!!!" the screaming continues...so how to I be more
strict without holding her down or gluing her to the bed. ??? Or geting a
strait jacket for her so she can't open the door !!....HEHE

Thanks for all suggestions

KAren



"James and Karen Stewart" wrote in message
...
Am I the only one who finds it hard to discipline the children ???
Or
is the a common problem ? I have a hard time with bed time. I want
the
kids to go to bed at a certain time 8:30-9:00 would be great. I find
myself
doing bathtime, and then snack and then trying to get them into bed and

having my 6 year old tell me she is not tired...I tell her that she
doesn't
have to sleep just go to bed and read a book if she wants to.

She doesn't want to go to bed alone..she wants my husband or me to
stay
with her. Mainly the reason for this is she says she is scared in her
room
alone..... We have a two storey house and I am wondering what I can doto
make her less afraid up their alone. She doesn't read scary books or
watch
a scary show before bed, and I have gone in her closet in the dark to
prove
to her that there is nothing in there.

What can I do to get her to go upstairs and go to bed before 10-10:30 at
night.

She will be going to school everyday come Sept. so I need to get this
problem fixed.

Hubby and I haven't had even an hour or down/alone time at night for the
last 2 weeks. We are going insane...sometimes you need just a few hours
alone a week, but there is just no time for us to be alone together
lately.
Please don't suggest that we go out for supper and get a
sitter...because
we
do get time alone....just not often. The kids will be going to their
grandparents for a few night and we are going away overnight in Aug.
but
it's just the last two weeks have been a pain and a really trying time
for
us with the kids.

Also my son wants to cuddle on the couch everynight with me and fall
asleep with me. Come Sept he will be starting Junior kindergardten and
will
need to fall asleep earlier in his own bed. I have tried to suggest
cuddling in his bed but he wants to cuddle on the couch.


Any ideas
Thanks
Karen