"I love you," she tells me as the lights go out.
"I love you too. Good night."
"Goo night"
*Click*... the lights go on as she is getting a drink. (This can never be done before the lights go out!)
"Ouch" she says as she attempts to capture a cat that doesn't want to be captured.
"I love you more than you love me," she says from the dark. This is a game that we like to play... but not at bed time.
"Good night." I call back.
"I love you..."
The strategy to stay up just a bit later takes various forms, but this is the most common.
She is not afraid of the dark, doesn't have trouble falling asleep, and is not plagued by nightmares, and yet... when the lights go out she wants to chat, play, or find a way to stay up just a little bit later.
What is it about bedtime? Why is it that kids, of all ages and in all parts of the world, feel the need to stay up just a bit later or "talk" once the lights go out?
A friend said that her daughter comes up with "lots of questions" once the lights go out. After about ten minutes of "why?" and answers, she will just drop off to sleep. But, she won't fall asleep until her questions for the night are answered.
It is after the lights go out that I will sometimes hear things from the Diva that she elected not to tell me all day - things that happened at school, thoughts she has had, challenges she is facing. There is something about the lack of light that leaves her feeling more relaxed and more at ease to chat.
The lack of light has a similar effect on adults. How many intimate conversations are held in bed, after the lights are out, possibly after the good nights have been said?
No matter how frustrating I sometimes find it (which I do) I know that the night time rituals are those that the Diva needs to relax and clear her mind. She needs to ease her mind, to hear she is loved, to get that last minute drink, and to attempt to sleep with a cat... each is part of her way of preparing for a good night sleep.
4 comments:
I think everyone has their own little ritual :)
Yeah... that something that helps us drop off to sleep more at ease and restful.
Oh my gosh, this brought back a flood of bedtime routine memories. I used to tell my mom "good night... see you in the morning... at breakfast... with cereal... and milk... and juice... and a Flintstone vitamin... and the newspaper..." She never said so, but I'm sure that was the most annoying thing ever.
Us kids think we're so tricky.
JR - Annoying from time to time but mostly, endearing!! The night time things kids do is one of those things that parents (this parent at least) remember with great fondness!
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