There’s a kids version of the adult midnight ramblings when we just shout something aloud hoping the person next to us is so deep into their REM sleep they don’t flinch at our insanity or reach for the divorce papers.
Or when we think we have a great idea, hilarious joke or something we should write down or force ourselves to remember until morning and it ends up being sauna pants, 2.0.
One of my favourite moments during the day with my kids is after the first tuck-in at night.
We’ve done our bedtime routine and it’s in those several minutes after the first tuck when I sneak back in to give them one last snuggle when we have the most heartfelt conversations.
This is the time of day when our nine year old saves up all of her sweet, loving feelings towards her parents, those she tucks away all day in a vault making it seem as though she really doesn’t care for us at all, despises us even. But late at night, something shifts.
Hanna (eyes closed): Mommy, will you be home tomorrow? Promise you won’t go anywhere without me? Can we do something together?
Sweet.
Chloe (our three year old) who shouts at me that her milk is cold or waves a finger in my face if her shoe is pinching on one side or her braids didn’t make her hair “prinky” enough often uses this night time opportunity to show me how much she’s grown from eating her mangoes during the day.
Adorable.
Our seven year old says 28 sweet things to us before fully waking in the morning so last night before bed, I could only imagine what she might whisper to send me off with a huge smile on my face.
Ellie: Mommy, you know that plastic ring that broke?
Yes, I’m aware. That’s all I heard about all day.
Ellie: You know the one I WON at the swimming party?
I do.
Ellie: You know the ring that broke and you said I should just keep the part that didn’t snap off and put it on my shelf?
Uh huh. Waiting for the sweetness to kick in, I should have waited a few more minutes.
Ellie: Yeah, well it’s from Claire’s. We’re going there tomorrow. End of discussion. Period.
Good night.
