When The Bedtime Story Bites Back!

During the week the bedtime routine can be tough! The kids have had a full day of running about in dagis whilst mum & dad have leaving/picking-up from dagis - with the early work start and late work finish that brings.

So, this whole routine occasionally takes its toll on us all. Today was no exception!

It was my turn to read a bedtime story to Alice. Emily had her own story with mum. I was very tired, so the two books we'd picked to read could be a challenge - especially as I was lying down with my head on a pillow whilst reading.

I generally put some effort into the characters for the stories - this makes it more interesting all round.

First book, Alfons Åberg (or Alfie Atkins in English) bedtime - story of a 4year-old not wanting to go to sleep and trying several different tricks to stay awake whilst his father was getting more and more tired, link. Exactly like tonight, as Alice was delaying as long as possible getting into bed and then settling down...

Anyway, this is a very nice story - quite soothing and usually does the trick about nearly inducing sleep - if we start with this book there's sometimes no need for a second. Well on this occasion it did it's best to induce sleep into me!

Alice recognises the symptoms - the pauses between sentences or pages get longer - then it's a reminder, "pappa!" So she's as much to do with us getting to the end of the story as I am.

Well, we made it through the first then it was time for the second choice: Julia Donaldson's "The Smartest Giant in Town" - another favourite. This was a struggle for me - Alice was having to work to get us to the end of the book - I was in danger of falling into a deep sleep mid-way through!

So, we made it through two books. Reading light out. Alice wasn't sleepy enough yet... But that's the last I remember - after a few minutes I'd drifted off to the land of nod - to wake up a couple of hours later.

Just like in the Alfie Atkins story - where Alfie finally decides to go to sleep because his daddy falls asleep first - Alice usually gives up and goes to sleep when I've dropped off...