Thirty days of daily posts, or perhaps more appropriately, thirty days of just-shy-of-midnight posts. I only really mentioned it a few times, but my posting this month was part of something called NaBloPoMo, which stands for National Blog Posting Month. I'd been struggling to find time for writing and thought that this commitment would be a way to get me back in the saddle. It was definitely a great sort of boot camp to get me conditioned to writing daily again.
My commitment didn't necessarily translate to passion or inspiration. I do think my posts suffered, I often said things to Sean like, "I just have to throw a post up before bed" and "I have to write something." Sitting here in a post What Not to Wear glow, I am relieved. Tomorrow there will be no requirement to post, no threat of failure if the laptop goes unused. It's liberating, but it's also inspiring, it feels as if I am getting something back tomorrow, a privilege. My freedom. Back to greater consideration, longer savoring of words in my head before sending them off into the world, and hopefully, more posts that create a connection between us, a shared experience, mine perhaps echoing your own or illuminating one about which you've often wondered.
I am grateful for NaBloPoMo and equally grateful to be bidding it good night.
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A theme I think you'll be reading a lot of in the coming months: Operation: Sisters Share a Bedroom. We've given it two soft tries and it ain't looking good, not good at all. Avery is unapologetically weirded out by the idea of being out of her crib and Briar is delighted by the prospect of having Avery in with her. Unfortunately, both times, after 10 minutes Avery is trying to get out of bed and Briar is howling mournfully that she needs us, that her sister isn't behaving. Nursing, cuddling, singing, reading, stern go-to-sleeps, all to no avail.
I don't know how to make it work, but am not giving up after two tries. We are officially taking advice from veterans of the siblings sharing a room trenches. Don't be shy, how'd you do it?
13 comments:
Started right from the get-go - they HAD to share. Sorry, no words of wisdom here.
I've got nothing... hoping that someone has some good advice because I'm going to need it in a few months. Our house is just not big enough for everyone to have a separate bedroom, once the baby is into the crib.
I hope you find a good solution!
-Andrea
The boys shared a room from the time they were 2 and 3 1/2 - and I can't REMEMBER if it was difficult or not.
Some help, huh?
The good news is that you will forget in about 7 years!!! :)
Not speaking from past experience with this, but I think it will take a bit of time so don't give up! With any changes we have made with Sam I know it just takes a bit more time than I had anticipated. I think it will be all worked out before the baby arrives in April.
Not advice but words of encouragement...
when we first moved south, we stayed with my mom while we looked for a house. during that time, the kids had to share a room. all i can say is routine, routine, routine. keep a regular and VERY consistent (to the point of repetitive boredom on your part) routine for bedtime and then enforce the bedtime policy with more stern "it's time to go to bed"s. in a matter of a week or so, you should start to see some improvement. trust me, the novelty of sharing a room will wear off eventually, and they'll just figure out that it's time to go to sleep.
hang in there. it takes time. took us about 2 weeks. and even though they're in their own rooms in our new house, when we traveled to NY this last October and they had to share a room again....piece of cake!
Good luck. My thoughts are never far away from you and the she-tribe + one.
Sorry, no advice. Our kids don't share (although Hailey's room is the size of a large closet). Strangely enough, they beg to sleep together almost every night.
I hope you get there, too.
we did: dad put younger child to bed half and hour earlier, while mom did stories, songs prayers with older child in parental bed and then snuck him in after little one was asleep
friends with kids closer in age did:
put both to be at the same time about an hour before they expected them to go to sleep - only responded to urgent messages/crying.
both worked okay and had their downsides, but desired results achieved sleeping children in own room - room made for new baby/no kids sleeping in parental bedroom (until baby arrived)
As a mom of 1, I can't give you any advice.
Of a sharing-sibling (my sis is 5.5 years younger), I had no choice. There was only my brother's room or mind, and since she had no 'boy parts' - I got her by default.
Time, I'm sure, is the only remedy. If it has to happen, it will.
And they will love each other all the more for it.
It was only 2 years ago that we merged the boys into one room, yet I can't really remember how we did it. At the time though my oldest was 5 and youngest was 3. The younger one wanted to move into big brother's room because he had a t.v. I think that is what helped. Sad, but true.
How long has Avery been out of the crib? You may want to get her used to that first. Then I like the idea someone had about putting the youngest to bed first. That is what we did for a couple of years with my oldest 2 but they are 5 and a half years apart so it was a bit different.
Good luck!
M and K share a room and we always put K to bed first. Once she's asleep, M sneaks in there and climbs into bed.
When we try to put them to bed at the same time, uh yeah. It doesn't work too well.
Good luck!
My girls have always shared. But they LOVE it, so keep at it. They chat and chat, and I listen in. We don't run when they cry, often the other sleeps right through any fussing. In the morning they laugh and play from their beds. It gives us about 15 minutes more sleep. :)
No advice, but congrats on making it through NaBloPoMo.
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