Mom's of 2 or more, what is your evening routine?

I'm just so exhausted and I've been trying to really, really instill a new routine for both kids, but I'm failing miserably. I know how important it is to have a bedtime routine and Ava has always thrived on one, but now with both kids, I don't even know where to begin. I feel like I'm running in circles. I'm home alone, since DH works nights, so it needs to be something doable. Just curious what you all do?

Re: Mom's of 2 or more, what is your evening routine?

I do bedtime alone as well...I have an almost 3 year old and an almost 1 year old and this has been my routine for a while.
We all go upstairs when it's time for the baby to go to bed, I put my older DS on my bed and he watches one show while I get the baby ready for bed, bath, read him a few peekabo books and put him down. Once the baby is down I try to snuggle with my older DS then we do his bed time routine, bath, stories and to bed. It helps that their bedtimes are about an hour give or take apart. I will say, some nights I really enjoy bedtime when everything goes as planned, other nights I have to get myself psyched up to do the whole routine.

Re: Mom's of 2 or more, what is your evening routine?

I think that's part of the problem, Chase never goes to bed at the same time. I have no idea why not. I try so hard to have my husband keep him on a schedule everyday, and he does, but for some reason, he's NEVER ready for bed at the same time. I think it's partially a catch 22, like if I do the routine, he'll get sleepy and know it's bedtime, but if I do the routine, and he knows its bedtime, he doesn't always feel sleepy and screams at bedtime until I pick him up

Re: Mom's of 2 or more, what is your evening routine?

Re: Mom's of 2 or more, what is your evening routine?

I feel for you b/c DH also was working nights when DS was small & I handled bedtime alone.

It was really rough b/c they both would go at the same time...I would try to put him in a bit earlier....rocking him w/ the bottle & singing or reading a story & then I'd put him down.

While this was happening, I'd get DD her milk & she'd sit & watch Dora or I'd have her pick the books she'd want to read.

Then I'd go in her room, read, songs & tuck tucks.

She's 3.5 now & he's 18 months & its gotten a lot easier.

Re: Mom's of 2 or more, what is your evening routine?

We get home at 5:15

5:30 Feed AJ
Chelsea plays and watches TV

6pm Dinner
AJ plays in his exersaucer

6:30 Bath time (every other night)

7pm AJ goes to sleep in his swing
Chelsea watches Dora and has milk and cookie

730 Chelsea goes upstairs. Brush teeth, Book, Bed.

10pm AJ gets another bottle and goes into his crib for the night. (Usually my DH does this feeding when he gets home from work.)


ETA:
My DH works 4 nights a week and gets home after bedtime. If AJ isn't sleeping in his swing by Chelsea's bedtime it is a huge problem.

Message edited 12/7/2010 8:22:40 PM.

Re: Mom's of 2 or more, what is your evening routine?

Message edited 6/29/2011 9:22:03 AM.

Re: Mom's of 2 or more, what is your evening routine?

DD is 18 months old and DS is 5 months old. I'm home alone a lot of times for bedtime so this is our routine:

- Dinner between 5 and 5:30 for both kids
- Bath around 6. I only give baths on nights that DH is home though (he works at night every few nights). It's just too difficult to do on my own since both the kids are still so young.
- I give DS his final bottle at 6:45 and DD sits on the couch, watches tv, and drinks her milk while I'm putting DS to bed. I just feed DS his bottle and put him in his crib when he's done and he goes right to sleep.**thank God!**
- DD goes to bed between 7 and 7:15. I can take my time putting her to bed since it's only her I have to focus on at that point.

Like a PP said... sometimes I look forward to bed time, but the nights where it doesn't go so smoothly, ughhh--horrible. Most nights are good though.

Re: Mom's of 2 or more, what is your evening routine?

i'm a school librarian so my day ends early but looks like this (it's just me as DH is @ work):
DD is 3.5 and DS is 16months

3-3:30 pick up

get home by 4pm

Dinner between 4pm-5pm (they eat together) and it takes them like an hour from start to finish sometimes! but they sometimes watch a show at this time

5pm we play/watch tv for an hour or so or
we drive around the corner to visit my parents for 20 min/30minutes

6pm bath is run while they play.
they are bathed together then DS gets his PJ's on first while DD plays in her room. DD Pj's next while DS looks at books.
DS is then read to and placed in the crib to sleep.
DD then gets books as well and then straight to bed.
they are in bed between 6:45/7pm and RARELY later than that. (they are soo tired by the end of the day)

it is the SAME thing every day-for the most part. we sometimes do other stuff but they know the routine and what to expect. it really does help!

Re: Mom's of 2 or more, what is your evening routine?

It is chaos here b/c DH is usually working too. And it is me with 2 - 1 yr olds and a 3 1/2 yr old.

After everyone has dinner, if it is bath nights babies get a bath and pj's. If not bath night they just get pj's. Bottles and they are in bed by 7. They know bottles mean bedtime, so if they are not tired they fight that bottle and I will let them play a few more minutes but they are in bed by 7:15.
Then I play with older DS a little, give him a shower. We watch a show and then bed. I read him a book in bed. He is in bed late, 8:30ish.

Re: Mom's of 2 or more, what is your evening routine?

Every quarter end I am on my own for about 2 weeks and this is our routine:

- Pick the kids up from daycare
- Get home and get everyone into the house - DS1 to the bathroom
- Get DS1's dinner ready (always something quick and easy - usually already made just needs to warm up)
- Get DS2's bath ready (everything is laid out by the sink that morning)
- Give DS2 a bath and then dress him for bed and make a bottle
- Put DS2 to bed (sometimes DS1 comes with us and plays quietly on the floor - other times he watches tv on his own)
- Once DS2 is sleeping I give DS1 a shower (so much easier now because he can do so much on his own. I was his hair & body - he rinses off and brushes his own teeth)
- PJs and stories for DS1 then he goes to bed
- Empty all the bags
- Wash the bottles and dishes
- Eat something quick for dinner
- Prep bottles and food for next day
- Pack bags for next day
- Straighten up
- Bed

Re: Mom's of 2 or more, what is your evening routine?

On nights when Dh is not home my oldest watches a show while put down my youngest and then I put him down But this in not my regular routine/

Re: Mom's of 2 or more, what is your evening routine?

I am on my own for bedtime every night. In the beginning it was crazier but once Tyler had a set bedtime it's very easy now.

They don't always get a bath at night. Sometimes I will bath Jack in the morning and Tyler at night.

If it's bath night then:

5:45 go upstairs for a bath. Both boys get a cup of milk.

After bath Tyler gets changed into his pjs and Jack plays in his room.

6:30 Tyler is in the crib.

Jack and I either snuggle and watch TV or come downstairs to collect and clean up all of his toys.

7pm - Jack is in bed.

Re: Mom's of 2 or more, what is your evening routine?

I have a 2 and 4 year old. We get home about 5:20. As soon as we get in, it's potty for both and I let the dogs out. Then I take my coat off.

I sit with them for about 20 minutes and then start dinner. A lot of the time, they come in the kitchen and help me with dinner or they color. We usually eat about 6:15-6:30. After dinner, I clean the kitchen and they watch TV.

Around 7:15-7:7:30 - it's bath time and then pjs. Then we cuddle and read until about 8:30 which is bedtime.

After 8:30- I do the rest of the housework for the day, look through the mail. Get on the computer, put away laundry, etc until about 10 when I go to bed to get up at 5 or 5:30 to start my day again.

Re: Mom's of 2 or more, what is your evening routine?

4pm - DS nurses
4:30-5:30 - cooking, playing with DD (or cleaning up, chores while DD plays / watches tv on her own depending on what we are making for dinner)

5:30 - dinner
6:00 - start bath on bath nights / clean up room on non-bath nights
6:30 - reading books (I bring DS in her bed with us and read to both of them)

7:00- lights out for DD / bath for DS (we're still working on his bedtime routine)