Go to bed!

Its nearly 10 pm. I have been attempting to put Lilly to bed since 7.

We have a routine where we have a story each before bedtime. They go and brush their teeth, find a book from the library and put it in their beds and then go and give Daddy a big hug and kiss goodnight. Then its into bed – hugs kisses etc etc and off to sleep. I know you aught not compare kids – but Morgan goes out like a light – and has done so for years. Lillys usual response to going to bed is this.

7.10 reading light is turned on and off as she fiddles with it.

7.15 calls for another hug and kiss – which is done – but warned that this is the last one tonight. I check in on Morgan who is snoring.

7.15 – 7.30 reads book, talks to teddy or dolls.

7.30 gets out of bed and gets all of dolls and tucks into bed.

7.40 gets backpack out of cupboard and fills it with teddies and old mobile phones and tucks into bed.

7.50 calls for drink of water

7.52 starts singing twinkle twinkle or old Mc Donald… loudly..

7.55 gets annoying toy with pull string or similar and repeatedly makes it sound its tune.

7.59 toy is confiscated

8.00 Loud wailing and tears.

8.10 little head pops round corner “ I need to go to the toilet” stands there are repeats till I walk her there ( not needed – she has been going by self for months)

8.15 still sitting on toilet – unrolling paper.

8.30 has stuffed entire toilet roll down toilet and flushing loo till it pours over. Sink tap is turned on full bore.

8.35 Lilly taken to bed, mess tidied up

8.40 small head pops round corner. “ I’m hungry” depending on my mood an apple is cut up and eaten at the table or the shouting starts.

9.30 Small ninja steals into the kitchen and secures a banana and an apple and smuggles back to bed. Ignored

9.45 naked child streaks through house.

9.55 child returned to room. Entire drawer of shorts and shirts have been tried on and spread over floor. Shouting ensues.

10 pm in bed with every stuffed toy she owns. Hard to see child – but the talking continues so am guessing she is in there somewhere.

10.01 talking stops mid sentence. Snores are heard.

Oh and – up by 5.30 in summer ( despite block out curtains and block out blind making room pitchblack.) and possibly 6.15 in winter time.

No sleeps during day. Stopped that when she was 18 months.

I am at a loss on what to do with her. I guess she is very much like me – needing little sleep – so what do you do? Let her stay up? Oh and no – I am not exaggerating – this is a transcript of what happened last night and give or take one or two items – this is usually what happens. – amidst threats of tying her in bed, locking the door and turning out the light.. These threats usually keep her in bed for about 5 mins or so.

Arggghhh!