Better

Last night was better.

I sat down at dinner and pulled out the trusty parenting book, and turned to the "night time discipline" section. This is what it said: (paraphrasing)

"If your child is extra clingy at night time, it's probably because he doesn't see enough of you during the day."

Annnnnnnnd cue the guilt trip!

I went into last nights battle in a different frame of mind, understanding now that my kid wasn't being a jerk, he wasn't being willful about going to sleep in his own bed, he just wanted to spend some time snuggled up with his favourite person on earth...his mama. Hell, who can blame a 2 year old kid for wanting to snuggle with his mom, who he doesn't see all day long??!!

So we hung out. We crawled into bed, we snuggled like no one has snuggled before. We read books. We drank milk. We talked. And I set a time limit. At 8:30 I was tucking him in and leaving the room, no ifs ands or buts.

When 8:30 rolled around I tucked in the wriggling child who was trying to jump back into my arms and went downstairs. He cried for a minute, and then whimpered for a few more. He came out onto the upstairs landing to bang on the railing. After a while, Steve went back upstairs and tucked him back into his bed.

This time, he stayed.

And woke up at 5:45, about 30 seconds before my alarm went off!

Progress - we're making it!

(Never mind that he's currently snuggled up in the big bed with Daddy, because all he wanted to do when he woke up was "'nuggle." Truth be told, I LOVE snuggling with that little monkey in bed!)

Baby steps...