The Real Reason Kids Fight Parents So Hard at Bedtime
، I stop short of pumping my fist in the air، shouting، “Hallelujah!” I also reassured the boys more than once that they would see mommy “bright and (way too) early in the morning.” Things seemed to run a tiny bit more smoothly. Was it a coincidence?
To find out more about why kids are determined to break their parents at bedtime—and what we can do to ease the pain—I talked to two experts about the seeming “conflict of interest” inherent in tucking kiddos into bed. (How dare I ask them to rest their eyes، minds، and bodies—like the rest of the human race.
Why Parents Hurry Bedtime
Let's face it—parents get so little time to themselves during the day. So those few hours (or minutes) alone، once the kids are tucked in، are precious. We want to head to the TV to watch a show، read a book، or even have an adult conversation with our partner.
According to the TikToker، Cayla، parents head into bedtime a little bit stressed and a little bit anxious. That's because we understand the concept of time and see our alone time diminishing. Therefore we push our kids to get to bed ASAP.
Cayla recommends being as patient as you can with your kids at bedtime. Otherwise، they will sense your anxiety and stress and know something is wrong. Then they will want to spend even more time with you.
Why Children Resist Bedtime
Experts pretty much confirm the reasons children don't want to go to sleep. “It's common for children to resist bedtime because they want to spend more time with their parents، or because they feel anxious about being separated from them،” confirms New York City-based neuropsychologist and the director of Comprehend the Mind، Sanam Hafeez، Psy.D.
