Soooo...I'm trying to put together a new schedule for DS1. I'm puzzling over what to do after dinner. I try to get dinner on by 6, then everyone helps clean up, and then...WHAT? The main problem is I have a night owl who doesn't go to sleep until sometime between 10 and midnight. He's always been that way despite various attempts to change that. Taking away naps doesn't help; neither does enforcing them. (Just so you know.)
So what I'm looking for is ideas for what to do with him between 6:30-7:00 and, oh, let's say 10:30 PM.
DH would like to help, but he often has to do paperwork at home and isn't available. I have a 2.5 month old as well, so there's a limit to what I CAN do, although DS2 goes to bed earlier (around 9). I want to institute a half-hour of fun physical activity (I call it half-hour family dance hour, though it could be any kind of up-and-about thing), but I also want to get DS winding down. The problem with winding him down is he's so active in the evenings, hence the half hour of light exercise to (maybe) wear him out. Anyway, I figure after dinner could also be the time for him to do his computer stuff, like starfall.com or other learning games. Then after that, we'd have a bath and do QUIET time in his room until he's ready to fall asleep.
Which is more likely to encourage a transition to quiet time? That's really my question. Physical or mental activity? I can't decide what order to do these in. It might just be an issue of trial and error, but maybe some of you know something I don't? (I hope so.)
So what I'm looking for is ideas for what to do with him between 6:30-7:00 and, oh, let's say 10:30 PM.
DH would like to help, but he often has to do paperwork at home and isn't available. I have a 2.5 month old as well, so there's a limit to what I CAN do, although DS2 goes to bed earlier (around 9). I want to institute a half-hour of fun physical activity (I call it half-hour family dance hour, though it could be any kind of up-and-about thing), but I also want to get DS winding down. The problem with winding him down is he's so active in the evenings, hence the half hour of light exercise to (maybe) wear him out. Anyway, I figure after dinner could also be the time for him to do his computer stuff, like starfall.com or other learning games. Then after that, we'd have a bath and do QUIET time in his room until he's ready to fall asleep.Which is more likely to encourage a transition to quiet time? That's really my question. Physical or mental activity? I can't decide what order to do these in. It might just be an issue of trial and error, but maybe some of you know something I don't? (I hope so.)
But he NEEDS it.
