Night

We fought formal bedtime routines for a long time. I didn't want our kids to be dependent on a certain bedtime routine and if it didn't happen then they wouldn't go to sleep. I wanted them to be able to have babysitters put them to bed and I also wanted bedtime to be quick. But then Alex got teeth so we had to add brushing teeth to the routine. Then we decided to start reading scriptures with him and having family prayers. So for a year and a half now, we have been a bedtime routine family.

I am proud that the boys are not dependent on the routine. If we are on vacation, I can stick them in bed and be done with it. But at home, our normal nighttime routine involves cleaning up toys, getting diapers and pajamas, reading scriptures, saying family prayers, brushing teeth, and filling up sippy cups.

Alex has really attached to the scriptures. He loves looking at the pictures and can tell us so many things about what they are depicting. For example, I told him once that Moroni buried the gold plates so that Joseph Smith could find them and translate them in The Book of Mormon. He now tells me that every single night. He is very animated about scripture time. Edison like to get in on it, too. I am glad to see them excited about doing this as a family.