I don’t want to ruin the moment with a lot of words or whatever, but I just want to share a bit of the amazing victory I had tonight with Lord Henry the Three Year Old. It was a battle of wits and I WON.
To recap briefly: I said “Goodnight darling Henry. I love you.” He said, “Yeah, I don’t think so.” I said, “No, I’m serious.” And he was all, “Like I said, I’m not feeling it.”
And so it went, for quite some time. Finally, I texted my mom (she who is the Queen of Putting Children to Bed Without Them Winning) and I said “what do I do?”
She texted back “pull the door shut and hold the handle.”
So I did this. I firmly and with great love put Henry (back) in bed. I kissed him. I said “you’re not the boss of me I am going to win this fight.” But not in so many words. Really I just said (again), “Goodnight darling Henry. I love you.”
But this time, I walked out of the room and pulled the door shut. Then I stood there and (here is the key) I held the door shut. Sure enough he got out of bed. He turned the handle but it did not move. Then he knocked on the door. He stood there knocking while I held the handle shut. This went on for about two minutes while I stood there in disbelief. Also I reminded myself that I was the boss. Because it’s really easy to forget this when dealing with three-year-olds. It’s very easy to start to believe what they believe which is they are the center of the universe. A Henry-o-centric Universe.
And then, four minutes in, silence. I was on the phone with my mom and I said “it’s quiet.”
“I bet he fell asleep,” she said. I couldn’t believe this. It was just too easy.
But it was true! He gave in that quick. Once he could no longer escape his room and just wander about the house, his very tired little body gave in. When I checked on him a bit later he was indeed in his bed. His head was resting comfortably on the pillow, his quilt pulled up to his shoulders nestled in safe and sound like the sweet little boy he is.
How do I feel you ask? About like this:
Goodnight!
love the youtube clip. very fitting, very fitting. And congratulations!
Inconceivable! (Is there any other word to describe that clip?)
I love love love love love the Princess Bride (We can quote pretty much the whole movie here at home) And congrats on the victory! It will surely be part of many battles you will have fought courageously and won.
Wonder if holding the door knob would work for a 10 year old?? UGH! Otherwise, I may be forced to hog-tie him to the bed. (Just kidding…. sorta.)
Wait until your darling daughter gets older! This same strategy worked on my two boys, but when it came to the princess Erin, failed miserably. Me, "good night Sunshine!"
Erin "good night mama." Me: exit through door, stand to hold shut. Erin: throw off blankets, run to door, twist nob one way, then the other, jiggle the handle, "Mom?" no answer. "MOM?!" no answer, "MOM I NEEEEEEED YOU!" no answer, tries twisting the door more frantically "MOOOOOMMMMMYYYYY." Now sobbing, "I neeeed You Mommyyyyy!" Me:to myself "I'm the boss, I'm the boss, I'm the boss." Erin:flops back to her bed sobbing, "I can't open the door…"
Me: naively thinking I have won sneaks back to the living room and sits down. 10 minutes later a little strawberry blond head appears in the doorway with a huge grin. Here we go again….
How great to have a mom with all the answers ..can I have her phone number?
Re: Girls. Agreed, they are harder. To the point of locking the door on the outside. On the other hand… if you get to them earlier (i.e., age one or two), they get the message as well as a three-year-old boy. One of those instances of girls maturing faster! (Although we all end up as adults, don't we?)
Lol. I'll have to try that trick next time! I love that movie…cracks me up every time. I have boy #3 on the way, so I really enjoy reading your blog =)
Thanks all! Now if only I could have the same success with naptime…
For a while the only thing that worked with my younger daughter, the stinker, was me physically staying in the room, singing to her, until she fell asleep. Leaving was not an option because when she screamed her older sister with whom she shared the room also screamed and there was no way with each of them egging the other on that I was outlasting them. I weaned her off gradually and now were down to my singing two songs and then I firmly say goodnight and leave.