Tuesday, June 4, 2013

Sad the Day is Over


We have a pretty good bedtime rhythm, it has been a part of our rhythm for a few years now with just a few tweaks here and there. Last week I made a tweak.

For close to a year now once bath time is done, bedtime snack eaten, stories read and teeth brushed, my little man snuggles up, looks up at me with his big brown eyes and says, "I'm sad the day is over." I hug him tight and take a deep breath and then I ask him about his day. What did he enjoy, what were his favourite parts, did he laugh enough, run enough, play enough and so on. I listen, and I let him know it is okay for him to be sad it is all over and that we have tomorrow to look forward to. In truth though, there is no tomorrow for him. He lives in the now, the moment that is happening right now and tomorrow is a strange concept for him, at least right now.

Last week during one of our bedtime conversations I blurted out something that popped into my head at that moment..."Let's get you a journal." I explained it a little more and he loved the idea. Friday we headed to Chapters where I knew a large selection of journals awaited us and I was sure he would find something he would love to record his days in. It didn't take long and we left with a new journal and an excited little man.

After his bath, bedtime snack, stories and teeth brushing, I grabbed the journal and a pen and we laid side by side on his bed. I wrote the date and a single line that read...the favourite things about my day are.

I read it to him and we began rattling off all the things he enjoyed about his day. Getting a new journal, riding my bike, playing with the cat (I have not introduced you to the cat yet), watering my garden, planting seeds, walking Shelby (our dog), having dinner outside....and so on he went. I wrote away as fast as I could catching all the goodness from his day. Then he went quiet, I look beside me and he was smiling. He snuggled up to me and said..."I love you." We packed the journal away, turned out the lights and snuggled up for him to go to sleep. There was no sadness to the bedtime routine that night. No sadness that the day was over. Each night he is excited to "write" in his journal and think back about all the favourite things from his day.

All of this, the journal, the moment we share each night writing in his journal, the recalling of his day and what he enjoyed most about it, makes my heart happy and brings peace as he falls asleep. It has been a good tweak to our bedtime rhythm.

24 comments:

  1. What a lovely idea Kim. I just may have to add this.

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    1. Thanks Jennifer, hope your boys love it as much as Reece does :)

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  2. Love this idea, my friend! We may have to follow suit! :)

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  3. Oh, I love this idea!

    Our bedtime rhythm is...terrible, on a good day. This might be just the thing to anchor it - make it something they look forward to... I may have to borrow this idea from you... xo

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    1. Thanks Meghann. It could be the thing, let me know how it goes.

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  4. I LOVE, LOVE this idea! I think I have to steal it :)

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  5. I love this Kim - a great way to teach our kids gratitude.

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    1. Thanks Maggie, it is a start for sure :)

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  6. (take two...)

    This is such a beautiful post, Kim! It made me cry. Yes to another dear person being introduced to 'the gratitude list' :) Maybe one day Bea and Reece can be gratitude buddies :) I will have to borrow this idea for Beabea when the time is right.

    Big hugs to you both xoxo

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    1. Oh wouldn't that be lovely :) It has been a really special addition to our nights, only wish I had thought about it sooner, although I think all the chats we had about his day and his favourite things leading up to this point have helped to make it an exciting next step.

      Hugs to you and Bea too.

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  7. Love this post! What a special end to each day!

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    1. Thank you, it really is a lovely way to end the day. We are both enjoying it :)

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  8. This is really great Kim! Talk about it but I love the idea to have a special journal to record those thoughts!

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  9. This is perfect and something I think us adults could use too. Thank you for sharing.

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    1. Thanks and yes, I think so too. It is why I write in my gratitude journal before bed every night :)

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