Good Night! This Mom’s Late Bedtime is a Routine She Won’t Give Up

Like most parents, I depend on routines to keep the family running on track and on time. 

Our bedtime routines are a big help. Even though we aren’t rigid about adhering to them, we do follow them most nights. I need my routine as much as my children need theirs. My children’s bedtime routine helps ease them into sleep. My own nighttime routine helps me to take care of myself.

My nighttime routine begins when my kids go to bed and I can get time to myself. I revel in the quiet. I can use the bathroom by myself! I eat a bowl of ice cream without having to share it with anyone. I work on something I've been putting off or that I can't do with my kids around.

I’m probably not alone in savoring my evening and probably not the only parent who finds her nighttime hours creeping later and later. I start to feel tired. I know that morning will come all too soon, but I don't go to bed because I enjoy the quiet and freedom. I end up staying up far later than I should. In the morning, I do not wake well rested. Sometimes I am flat-out sleep deprived. 

Still, I do it over again the next night. I don't want to give up that precious time that I have to myself in the evenings after my children go to bed. I need to figure out a better way to do this. How do you do it?

Balancing our time as parents takes intentional routine. We all need to carve out time doing what refreshes us as well as time to spend with others. Which of your routines brings you the most balance right now?