An ironic twist on bedtime troubles

So that the kids could have a playroom to trash with their friends while the mummies drink tea in the sitting room, we decided to stick the three of them in the smallest bedroom, allowing enough room for their three little beds, three little wardrobes and a couple of recycled bedside tables. The goal was also that they should not be distracted by toys and the TV etc. while trying to sleep.

What we ended up with, however, was three years of hell. Isaac does not like to go to bed. Obviously he does, because screaming is no defence against Mummy's Rules and their application. However, whatever we do in terms of quietly settling the boys at bedtime (stories, darkness, warmth, gentle soothing music, lavendar, cctv) we've ended up with them all up pillow fighting, building bridges from one bed to the other with the side bars of their beds, or just jumping stark naked on their beds singing "Gangnam Style" with no regard for my threats. 

On the rare occasions that the little ones don't have Isaac to distract them, they're out like little lights, and it's Isaac who is getting out of bed with complaints about thirst, insomnia, snoring, mysterious noises, the need to pee (sometimes at 5 minute intervals) and I've just run out of ideas. Even the usually sedative effect of phenergan have no impact. 

Even exhausting days running around Kew Gardens
don't make him sleepy.

So, last night, with two tired little ones who just needed to get to bed, and what with it being a Friday, I just didn't bother to put him to bed. I told him to get a book and sit on the couch with me. Then I watched TV and ate biscuits and occasionally defined tricky words for him until at 9.05 he closed his book, rubbed his little eyes and quietly put himself to bed, went straight to sleep and wasn't seen again until morning. This is unheard of.

I heard the kids getting up watching TV and playing quietly in the morning, and eventually dragged myself out of bed sometime after 9 - NOT a common treat, I assure you - but was surprised not to find Isaac causing chaos somewhere. I poked my head round the bedroom door to find him on his bed with my iPad, quietly chewing his way through a triple pack of Juice Fruit and with a bag of popcorn by his side. He smiled, I asked if that was his breakfast, to which he said it was, and I left him to it. 

So, the outcome of this accidental experiment is that just not bothering to put Isaac to bed leads to a far superior outcome all round. All three children fell asleep earlier, Isaac read most of his school reading book, and woke up calm, happy and relaxed and was (even more unusually) happy to play quietly by himself for nearly the entire morning.

Although I'm a strong believer in the idea that children should be neither seen nor heard after 8pm and that they should just go to bed and be quiet when I tell them to, I might have to actually change my strategy for the sake of everyone getting enough sleep. And he only caught 5 minutes of post watershed broadcasting, so I guess it's okay. By not doing it my way I sort of get more of what I want and can get up off the couch less. Oh the irony.