It took a while for us to figure out the most effective way to get them to bed, and I think we finally did! We put Eli in there first, around 7pm, and give him time to settle down and fall asleep. He's usually out by 7:30, so that is the time we start getting Aiden ready. We read to him in the guest room and pray in there, and started "whisper time" after reading. This gets him in the quiet mode to then go in his room and quietly lay down for bed. It took a few weeks of being consistent with discipline to get him not to wake Eli up to play, but I think it's finally sticking! There were a few weeks there where they would keep each other up until like 9 or 9:30, but now it's usually quiet in there by 8:30 if Eli happens to wake up. Finally!
Aiden did the cutest thing one night. They were quiet for a while so I thought they had gone to sleep, then I heard Aiden jumping in his bed. I went in and he laid down real fast, then I went over to Eli's crib to try to get him back to sleep and he was holding a monkey.
Aiden had obviously given him the stuffed animal... the cute thing is that Aiden has slept with a stuffed animal monkey since he was about 10 months old and he went to the toy bin and got this one out for Eli and he told me "Eli needs a monkey too."
I love it. I think it's gonna be worth these tough few months to help break down the selfishness that arises when sharing a room, ultimately for a life time of brothers who love each other and enjoy each other.
If you haven't seen a picture of their room yet, you can see it here if you click through this album. (It's a Knights and Castle theme with a quote from the awesome book Wild At Heart)
2 comments:
we are about to put caroline in ethan's room in the next month... so i am sure i will be looking back to this post for advice! they will no doubt attempt a party every night... but aren't we thankful that they love each other?!
but aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaammy, i don wanna go to bed
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