Please, my child, just stay in bed and go to sleep. Please?

Milkbaby was a baby when the Go the F*&% to Sleep viral sensation happened.  If you somehow missed it, here's Samuel L. Jackson reading it.  Seriously.  How much cooler does it get than the dulcet tones of Samuel L. Jackson reading your book?

Being a new parent, I thought I could relate.  Like, totally.  Little did I know.

I'm now the parent of a willful 3 year old (what 3 year old isn't willful, right?).  The nightly bedtime battle is becoming something of a routine in this house, with Captain Boringvoice and I tearing our hair out in frustration at the repeated post-goodnight requests.

I turned to Google for help, and after a bit of digging, came across this great post.  Its suggestions include:

• giving tickets that can be redeemed for a certain number of post-goodnight errands
• a "bedtime box"of special items that can be played with while getting ready for bed
• extra love under the pillow
• getting your kid to suggest solutions

And finally, talk about it, role play it, deconstruct it the next day, and talk about it again.  One of the article's pearls of wisdom: "sometimes, saying yes to a behaviour will make it go away."  And so it is this philosophy we are trying (we decided the bedtime tickets sent the wrong message), along with a "keep calm and carry on" stoicism.  I won't claim that it's "working", but pushing the reset button on our approach to bedtime has so far resulted in no tears and no yelling (from anyone).

And it has meant I can actually see the funny side of the more unusual requests.  The best one yet?

My monkey needs a huggle.  "Okay" I yell, "just leave him in my room and I'll come and give him a hug soon!".

I go upstairs to find this:

No wonder Monkey needs a huggle.  He might also need a neck brace and some physio.