Bedtime Rituals

Every night, it's the same thing.............bedtime is 8pm. Thank goodness there are two parents and only two kids in our family. Otherwise, I don't know how I'd do it.......get the kids to bed in less than two hours. Actually, it only takes 30 minutes. Each kid gets book and cuddle time. Maria is now officially reading, which is just amazing. It's been truly thrilling to watch her progress from not being able to read to being able to read independently. Now she reads to me, with minimal assistance. Love it. Each night, Craig does one kid, I do the other. Then, the next night we switch.

What is amazing to me, and equally adorable is that Holden still enjoys this "cuddle time". He actually tracks the amount of time that I spend with Maria in her room - he says I don't spend as much time with him cuddling. I think this is so precious. Especially because during the day sometimes, we can have such major battles! Oh, this kid can argue like none other.

Nonetheless, although I am ready by that time to have time to myself, I want to hold on to him and her tightly because I know it won't be much longer until they won't want this time together. They will want to be alone and not want to cuddle with me. Oh, I dread the day.

Someone gave me a book called I Liked You At Ten, I'll Like You Again. It has poems based on a child at various ages and it is spot on. For a nine year old, like Holden it is this:

I'm still your hero

And still kind of cool,

But it's your peers that impress you

Way more at school.

Look out for number one

I remind you to do -

You alone

Are accountable for you.

It's momentous to you

What to wear

And let's not forget

About the hair.

You use new slang words,

Most I've not heard;

You don't want to be considered

Weird or a nerd.

Treat others with kindness,

I remind you to do;

Compassion and Integrity

Are Instilled in you.

I understand,

You just want to fit in;

What you don't realize,

You're where I have been.