In the Woods at Bedtime
Different does not equal scary.
I’m writing this from Grandpa’s house with a fully lit and decorated Christmas tree and a roaring fire and a hot cup of coffee in a home in the woods. A guy could get used to this.
But then - like always - comes bedtime. In an unfamiliar setting this time around.
It’s not unfamiliar exactly as she’s been to GrandPops many times before but it’s not her bedroom with her mess and her room and her shadows on the wall with her Dad downstairs on his computer trying to fight sleep long enough to write.
At GrandPop’s, theres a nice comfortable bed up in a loft and soft blankets and star globe nightlights. It’s the perfect home away from home. Much much better than a sleep hotel, I told her. Much Better.
But it’s not home. And I get that. Travelling is fun and adventurous but like Dorothy said “there’s no place like home”.
And we’ll be there soon enough, but for now I want to tell you about the squeaky floors at Grandpop’s house. They have foiled me 3 times tonight at least - I would get her to sleep and manage to crawl out of the bed and I get halfway across the room and then squeeeeekkk.
“Daddy?”, she asks. I tell her to hush and then I go back to her and stroke her head some more and tell her it’s okay and she’s safe and sound and then just when I think it’s safe for another attempt:
SQUEEK! Again!
Those damn floors catch me every time. I blame all the pie I have eaten this weekend - I bet I could have made it out of the loft earlier this week when I was lighter. :)
BW actually felt bad for me and came up as relief to finally get her settled and as I write this there’s still no sleep happening with the child. It’s been an hour and a half so far of attempts by two adults who by theory, should be have no problems with this.
For those that are keeping score so far:
Mom and Dad: 0
The Child: 3
It’s a losing battle here with bedtime tonight but not for the usual reasons of too much going on in the pretty little head like unicorns and glitter glue and whatever else goes on up there.
Tonight, it’s just a different environment that’s the trouble but eventually sleep will win and she’ll be off dreaming of unicorns and glitter glue as planned.
And I will have written yet one more time about bedtime. 1
When it comes to putting kids to bed at bedtime in a strange environment, I have to say, I kind of agree with Dorothy.
Watching where I step,
TH and Co.
I should create a summary one day.