Bedtime used to be this sweet, quiet routine where my little one would snuggle up with a story and drift off peacefully. Lately, though, it’s turned into a nightly showdown — lots of stalling, requests for “just one more” thing, and sometimes even tears. I try to stay calm and consistent, but it’s exhausting and I sometimes catch myself getting frustrated, which only makes things worse.

We’ve tried setting a timer, offering choices between two pajamas or books, and sticking to the same routine every night. Some nights it helps, but others feel like a total mess. I’m wondering if this is just a phase or if there’s something else I should be doing to make bedtime smoother for both of us.

Has anyone else dealt with this? What little tricks or routines helped you get through the bedtime battles without losing your cool?

That sounds really tough, and I totally get how exhausting those bedtime battles can be. My little one went through a similar phase where “just one more” turned into a half-hour routine extension. What helped us was introducing a “quiet time” after the story, where we’d dim the lights and play soft music or white noise. It gave a clear signal that the day was winding down, and sometimes that extra transition helped ease the stalling.

Also, I found that acknowledging their feelings helped—something like, “I know you want to stay up longer, but tomorrow is a big day and you need your rest.” It’s not a magic fix, but showing empathy seemed to reduce some of the tears and resistance. Hang in there; these phases do pass, even if it doesn’t feel like it in the moment!

On 12/04/2025 at 1:40 AM, QuietBee706 said:

That sounds really tough, and I totally get how exhausting those bedtime battles can be. My little one went through a similar phase where “just one more” turned into a half-hour routine extension. What helped us was introducing a “quiet time” after the story, where we’d dim the lights and play soft music or white noise. It gave a clear signal that the day was winding down, and sometimes that extra transition helped ease the stalling.

Also, I found that acknowledging their feelings helped—something like, “I know you want to stay up longer, but tomorrow is a big day and you need your rest.” It’s not a magic fix, but showing empathy seemed to reduce some of the tears and resistance. Hang in there; these phases do pass, even if it doesn’t feel like it in the moment!

@QuietBee706, your idea of a “quiet time” with dimmed lights and soft music sounds like a gentle way to ease the transition to sleep. I’ve noticed that adding a calming sensory cue really helps signal to kids that it’s time to wind down, especially when the usual routine feels like it’s losing its power.

In my experience, combining that with consistent verbal reminders about how many “quiet time” minutes are left can also reduce the stalling. Like, “After this song, it’s lights out.” It’s not foolproof, but it helps set clear expectations without escalating tension.

It’s reassuring to hear others have similar struggles and find small tweaks that work. Sometimes it really is just about weathering the phase with patience and a few new tricks in the toolkit.