ok everythings been going really good lately, no major issues with bedtime, its still a little bit of hard work but nothing like before. I think hes got his molars coming in though at the moment but im not sure, anyway tonight went a bit haywire and I just wanted your opinions on how this went because I feel awful about it.
he was already miserable by 7pm and we had had a "time out" in his room which hadnt worked so we had come out of that and I gave him some pain relief. anyway, finally come time to get into bed and he picks a story which he refuses to let me read, HE must read it. so he reads it and when I say thats enough, time for hte second book he starts throwing a tantrum (which is what happens when he is the one to read it, he keeps wanting to re read the pages over and over again) I said "right thats it, lights out, goodnight" I turned the light off and shut the door.
Well I felt awful. Ive never left bedtime like that, never not had a bedtime cuddle and kiss etc. So i wait about 5 mins and its all quiet and I think I will go back in to say goodnight properly because I didnt want to leave it like that. Well I come back in and hes laying in his bed quietly in the dark. I sit ont he bed and said "I love you, I want to give you a goodnight kiss, If you cant behave mmore calmly at bedtime then I will have to leave" so I give him a kiss and he cuddles me and then he wants that second book. So i say "ok, lets finish the book and thats it" I turn the light back on and he starts saying "light, light" and getting out of bed to see the lightswitch. I put him back into bed, another tantrum starts up again so I said "thats it, goodnight" I turn off the light and leave again.
its been 15mins and I can hear him breathing on the monitor, hes asleep.
Now I feel awful because the bedtime routine was all over and ended messy in my view. It wasnt nice to leave it like that.
Should I have dealt with it differently? I want to go back in and give him a cuddle but hes asleep and I wont wake him.
