Bedtime with kids is not a routine.
It’s a full-scale production with plot twists, special effects, and at least three surprise snack requests.

You think, We’ll be done by 8:00.
By 8:07 someone is suddenly starving.
By 8:12 someone can’t find their “special” blanket.
By 8:18 the baby is wide awake like it’s a party.

And by 8:45, you’re questioning every life choice that led you here.

☁️ The chaos in pajamas

Last night, I lined everyone up for bed like a tired flight attendant.

My toddler needed one more hug.
Then one more drink.
Then one more hug for the cup.

My middle child remembered a very important story from 2019 that absolutely could not wait until morning.

And the baby?
The baby treated the crib like a suggestion.

At one point I stood in the hallway holding a stuffed giraffe, a water bottle, and my last shred of patience, thinking:
This is it. This is the job.

🌿 The strange rhythm of nighttime

Bedtime isn’t just about sleep.
It’s about:

Letting go of the day’s chaos

Repairing tiny hurts with cuddles and quiet talks

Teaching comfort, even when you’re exhausted

Creating safety in the dark

It’s soft and loud at the same time.
Tender and frustrating.
Beautiful and draining.

And somehow, it repeats every single night.

💛 What I’ve learned about ending the day

I’ve learned that bedtime isn’t about perfection.

It’s about presence.

About staying gentle when your patience is thin.
About answering “just one more question.”
About rubbing backs even when your feet hurt.
About choosing calm when everything in you wants quiet.

Some nights I do it gracefully.
Some nights I don’t.

But I always try again the next evening.

🏡 The quiet truth

Parenting doesn’t slow down when the lights turn off.

It just gets quieter.

It lives in whispered prayers.
In tiny hands reaching for yours.
In the deep breath you take once the house finally settles.

And when the last door closes…
When the toys are still…
When the noise fades into soft breathing…

You stand there, exhausted, undone, proud.

Not because it was easy.
But because you stayed.

And tomorrow, you’ll do it all over again.

Love

Rochel

A mother of 4 of the cutest children. I have seen the ups and downs in motherhood. Subscribe to this newsletter to hear my raw and honest thoughts on the joys and chaos of motherhood.