Come down and play

We recently moved Jackson to a "big boy bed". We thought it would be wise to make the crib available for Bright Flower significantly in advance of when she needed it so that Jackson wouldn't have issues about his sister invading his space. We actually set it up the bed about two weeks in advance of when we intended to start using it. We wanted him to get used to seeing it in his room. Plus, it gave us two weeks to talk up how since he had his happy birthday he was now a "big boy" and should have a big boy bed. It turns out we didn't need to talk it up. He was dying to sleep in his new bed (somehow he knew it was for him the day we set it up).


Moving him to a "big boy" bed (with no restraints to getting out independently) meant some changes in our nighttime routine. We used to sit on the floor with him in one of our laps after his bath and pajama change and read him a book. Then we would have him turn on the hall light and turn off his room light and we would hold him for his nighttime prayers before putting him in his crib. The new bed changed all that. We realized that he needed some time in his bed before turning the lights out. So now, after changing into pajamas, we turn on a dim bedside light, have him climb into his bed himself and read him his bedtime story while he sits in his bed. It was Ian's idea to have him then kneel on the side of his bed for nighttime prayers before turning off the lights and tucking him back into bed. As soon as the lights are out, we remind him of the "sleeping rules" - stay in your bed, close your eyes, be quiet, and go to sleep. We especially remind him of the need to stay in his bed. When we first switched to the toddler bed, we had decided on a three strikes and you're out policy. If he comes out, we quickly return him to his bed. But if he comes out a third time, he goes back to his "baby" bed. We've only had to return him to his crib twice. Now he gets the idea after one warning.

So we were so surprised a few days ago when, after reading his book, he pointed to the floor and said "come down and play". He was actually bold enough to start moving to the side of the bed before we reminded him of the sleeping rules. The next night, he tried again, "come down and play, daddy, come down and play, mommy". Again, we sternly reminded him of the sleeping rules and kept to our routine. It happened again last night. This time Ian was only half-way through his bedtime book when Jackson closed it and said "All done. Come down and play." He pointed to the floor and started moving to the side of the bed. We reminded him that he was supposed to stay in his bed and he said, "I wanna play. Play." Then he put his hands together and said "Dear Got." We finally realized that he wasn't asking to come down and play. He was asking to come down and pray. Warmed the cockles of our hearts. Now we just have to hope that Jackson grows out of his Chinese accent before he hits public school.

Clarice