Wee Willy Winkie

For awhile it's been a bit of a mystery to me (and Geoff) how in the world we're supposed to put four young children to bed at the same time. Especially on bath nights! Especially when doing it by ourselves! We have been attempting to learn this craft for the past 9 months with minimal success.

We do baths every other day in our house (to keep our sanity) and this usually works out well because the boys usually aren't dirty enough for a bath after one day. After two days, though, the smell starts (lol) and that's when it's time for dunking! :)

Tonight was a bath night on top of already being later thanks to t-ball. We were running against the clock, underdogs from the get-go. In the midst of potential failure, though, came a mama brainchild that may become a new G-Ville tradition. I've apparently found a way to conquer bedtime with four children. It's what every former-teacher-mama loves--STATIONS!! Rock Station #1, Teeth Station #2, Jammy Station #3, and Book Station #4. I'll elaborate further...

Here's the skinny on how our night went--

I feed MG a formula bottle every night, but on nights when the boys need a bath and I'm alone, the girl has to take her bottle wherever she can get it. Thankfully, she's always good to go and very flexible. I gave her her bottle in the bathroom while the boys undressed and climbed into the tub. She finished, they played, and I brushed her teeth and got her dressed while supervising the boys in the tub. When we were finished, I dashed to her bedroom next-door, laid her down in her crib, gave her a quick kiss, and dashed back to the bathroom, quick! (To ease my nerves, I could hear all three boys talking while I dashed, so at least I knew they were safe.) Whew! One child down.

Next came boy scrubbing and hair washing, following by the "Who wants to be first out of the bath?" Inevitably that means M will jump out (he's so competitive--I love it) and so he did--to Station #1, The Rock Station. The boys do this funny thing when they get in their plush, hooded colored towels (Thank you, Aunt Liz!). They crouch to the floor and curl up to look like a colored rock. "Yook," J says, "Yook at the yeyyow rock!" It is really cute. Incorporating this into our stations is a must!

After M's green rock, I had him move over to Station #2, The Teeth Station, where his toothbrush was waiting. I quickly brushed and then let him take over. He rinsed and I handed him his jammies for Station #3, which was outside the door in the hallway. He proceeded to get dressed on his own. Meanwhile, T was out of the tub and becoming a blue rock at Station #1. Afterward, he headed to #2 and out came J, our yellow rock, who huddled on the floor. M was now done with Station 3 and asked, "As my reward, can I go ahead to the book station?" "YES!" I responded and away he went down the hall to read books while we finished.

The stations continued for the other two, who need more assistance in the process, but are learning self-control and independence by doing the necessary task at each station. T soon ran off to the room to read a book, followed closely by J. I quickly tidied the bathroom and then walked into their bedroom (they are now all in the same room--post to follow!) to find them quietly reading. What a difference calling it a "book station" made to their psyche and overall approach. They were ordered, the evening was structured, and everyone knew what to expect. Magnifico! Our reading time was so blessed (mostly because I wasn't strung out from having to corral three wild bedtime boys!) We proceeded with prayers, then bed. It was bedtime poetry in the making.

Bedtime stations. Who knew?!

Wee Willie Winkie runs through the town...