Mama in the City

A blog about raising my family in downtown Vancouver

Our Bedtime Routine

Bath time has been part of our nightly routine since Ben was about 3 months old and in his high need stage. We used the water time to relax and help get him into sleep mode and the routine really helped him settle. It signalled that it was time to wind down and that nighttime was near. This nightly routine has served us well over the last nearly 5 years and we started doing it with Josie even earlier in her babyhood.

Calling bath time early is a great trick when my kids are starting to get a bit crazy or are getting a case of the sleepies at 5 pm. There is just something about the distraction of the warm water and playing with toys that is an instant mood lifter. I can count on a bath to give them a reset and so we often have them take a bath pre dinner. They become warm and mellow and sit and eat dinner with a little playtime following.


For the most part I don't use soap on my kids during bath time and opt for just a splash in the water followed by some body lotion before pyjamas. Both of my kids had eczema as a baby and I found it often got worse when I would use soap to often. Of course, with all the outside playtime we do the kids do need a bit of a soapy wash to rinse the park grime off their tiny feet and get those shiny curls back. Now that my two kids are a bit older we give them a bath together and they love hate it. The brother teases the sister, the sister steals the brothers toys. Eventually the baby gets out first and the brother feels the tub with more warm water and continues to have his own splash around.







I shop for our families body products with insight and think that it's important the products I buy are especially dye free, especially with all of the recent news about how artificial dyes react in some children. Johnson's Naturals® asked me to test out a trio of their new baby products and my interest was peaked. Johnson's and Johnson's® is a name we've heard our whole lives, in fact they've been around for 100 years already, so I was very pleased to find out that the products they sent me were paraben free, dye free and phthalate free.






My favourite part of our bedtime ritual is near the end when things get a bit quiet and the children are getting a little sleepy, and they stop and hang out in my lap while I put lotion on their little backs and tiny feet. Then it is the predictable application of pyjamas and lots of books and cuddles. Just like that the day comes to a close and before you know it, here comes another bedtime routine.



Johnson's Natural baby products®

Do you have a bedtime routine?

2 comments:

Kristin said...

Yes, we have a bedtime routine but it doesn't sound as delicious as your post! Its usually a chaotic rush for baths, toothbrushing and finding pyjamas! ; ) I do love the part when I get to lie down and read stories though...and even more I love bedtime kisses and I love yous!.

July 17, 2013 at 11:19 PM  
mazoola said...

we had a bed time routine...a nice relaxing peaceful one until oh about 4-5 days ago. Max goes BERSERK if he hears "bath" ..and then during bedtime routine he's crying the entire time. it all just changed in one day with no significant events. it'l always something

July 21, 2013 at 9:25 PM  

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