No, this isn't about Magic infant formula. Its about finally finding some peace during a very frustrating time of day...
As of late, we've finally found some quiet at the Saltonstall house at bed time. Unbelievable, I know-to those of you who know us. Bedtimes are often fraught with crying, yelling, etc. from Nora and Stuey. No matter how much time we've spent with them during the day, or how long we take to put them to bed-it would often end in tears. It was starting to become one of the more stressful parts of our day.
And then I discovered using books-on-tape (on my iphone)... Nora listens to books on tape to go to sleep with headphones on. Part of the problem before was that Stuey makes little noises or talks to himself with his toys while he is going to sleep and that would REALLY bother Nora, so now the books on tape cover up Stuey's noises. Moving them to different rooms isn't an option right now...until Stuey is a little older. He is sometimes a bit afraid of the dark and monsters, and having Nora in there brings him great comfort.
Jake-dog lays on the bed with Stuey. Stuey pets jake until he goes to sleep. It is so wonderful to tip toe in the bedroom and see Jake and Stuey asleep next to each other.
When Stuey gets up in the morning, it is his turn to listen to books on tape on the iphone. Some recent favorites of the kids have been Pippi Longstocking, Charlotte's Web, Frog and Toad, Green Eggs and Ham and Winnie The Pooh. (And in the intererest of full disclosure, I never particularly enjoyed Winnie The Pooh as a kid, but listening to it told by actors on CD is a different experience-I have enjoyed it!)
I"m excited about their love for books on tape, as it exposes them to lots of language and new words in new contexts. And it gives a few quiet moments here and there for them to relax and listen to the story.
Zoya
Photos:
-Nora, Jenni F., Patrick and Stuey in our kitchen recently. Jenni is home from college.
-old photo from my iphone):Nora eyeing her green drink in France...a mint soda which tasted like a strong syrup water. The kids didn't like it.
-(another old photo from November)...Patrick and I went up Pyramid on a balmy 40 degree day in November.
-Gregg Patrick and I went to the Old Powerhouse to celebrate Greggs birthday this week.
-I'm back in quilt mode...this is part of the top of a recent project--a quilt for the couch in our kitchen. THe first quilt for our home (aside from the small baby quilt I made Nora).
4 comments:
Books on tape (and it wasn't long ago they really were tapes) saved us. High praises for Jim Weiss and another one called "On Grandma's Lap". My 10 yo still listens to CD's to quiet down at bedtime.
The audio books are a great idea! We had a similar problem when I was growing up. My sister and I shared a room when we were little and when she first learned to read she didn't understand the meaning of "reading to yourself." She thought that meant whispering the words outloud! My parents got me a pink and purple alarm clock/radio with headphones for Christmas one year and then I could go to sleep no problem. :)
We've also been struggling with bedtime lately. It's so frustrating when you are tired too. I'm glad you found a solution for your house!
Oh yes! My nieces and nephews listened to books on tape to fall asleep all the time! I used to share a room with them in the summer and still remember many of the lines from those stories we listened to over and over. The Boxcar Children was a favorite!
Sue
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