Bedtimes can be rough. Throw in changing schedules, routine disruptions, sleep regressions and everything else that can go wrong. Having a bedtime schedule, something that tells them, even from a young age that it’s time for bed works wonders. Once you start a routine it can be hard, but once it’s established, they get the hang of it and before you know it they can basically put themselves to bed. Our bedtime routine is pretty simple.
Malachi knows that after his bath, there are certain things that come after. He loves his bath, so I leave tons of time for him to play in the bath but we still get him to bed by 7-7:30. Our routine takes maybe an hour from bath to bed.
Our Bedtime Routine
Once his bath is done, he gets on his diaper, his pj’s and his oils. We wear our oils a lot, especially at the end of the day. He gets his immune roller on his feet, his sleep roller down his spine or on his feet. Essential oils are a big part of all our routines. You can read more about it HERE. Now that he’s getting older, he likes to do his oils by himself and I think it’s so cute. But I’m biased.
Now it’s time to get his room ready. I love that he loves to help. So he does most of it. He helps fill up his diffuser with his night time blend. He helps clean up his room, make up his bed so it’s ready for him. Having each of these steps happening before bed helps him understand that it is bedtime. Since we’ve started these routines, bedtime is the easiest part of our day.
After getting his room ready, I close the door, letting the oils and the humidifier get his room nice and ready for bed. We head to the bathroom to brush his teeth (which he says with a big smile on his face and all his teeth showing). We brush his hair and he claps when he’s all done. Then we walk into the living room where he gets to pick out a bedtime story. Whoever is in there does the reading. After my husband comes home from work, it’s mostly their time together until bed, so most days he reads the bedtime story. Meanwhile, he still has a bottle at bedtime. We had switched to oat milk, but because of his size and the fact he can’t have whole milk, we went back to formula. Once his book is done, he grabs his blanket and soother, if the living room has toys out he cleans them up. Then we went into his room.
This is my favorite part of the day. We pray, he holds his hands together, or he’ll hold mine. I get a hug and some kisses and he cuddles up. He drinks his bottle and then I just hold him as he falls asleep. He can fall asleep on his own in his bed, but these moments are mine, sweet little kisses, little snores, and all the cuddles!
And that’s his bedtime routine. Mine is more complicated… maybe another time.
Love Crystal
