It has been the same for years, and I always hoped as the kiddos got older it would be easier for me. As mom of a 7 and 4 yo (birthdays in a few months) I want to scream whenever I get to put them to bed. Sadly I am a weekend parent (their dad pulled a fast one on me during the lowest point of my life) and it has made it even harder for me to get these kids to get to sleep and stay in their own beds. Every night they are with me they bicker and fight, interrupt, complain, find whatever excuse to try to delay sleep. They wake up in the middle of the night and try to come sleep with me which usually ends up with me crawling in their bed (they sleep together). I am losing my sanity.

How can I get these kids to respect bedtime? They fight and argue through our routine and I have less and less patience each time. I am to the point where I am going to lock them in their room and say "goodnight" and let them figure it out. As it is, I have gotten away from snuggling in bed with them until they fall asleep and now can sit anywhere in their room and read to them until they are asleep. But it is absolute chaos for me to even get started reading. I am at my wit's end.

Thanks for hearing my rant. They're finally asleep and by 10 pm it's a win.