Bedtime Chain Reaction

When you have only one child, each stage of development and each transition to "something new" requires a three step plan: 

1) Deep thought and mental preparation for the parents

2) Lots of motivational and encouraging speech directed at the child

3) The Perfect Moment to implement the change

That all changes when child number two, child number three, and child number four arrive on the scene.  With each subsequent child the plan condenses into a shorter and shorter period until step one no longer exists and step two consists of "You'll like it.  Stop crying!"  Even the Perfect Moment morphs into "Quick, we have a chance right now!"

Take tonight, for example.  We have known for a while that Brynn had outgrown her toddler bed and needed a "big girl bed."  With Brynn out of the toddler bed, Blair could have it and vacate the crib.  With Blair out of the crib, Cam could upgrade from the pack and play.  In the past, when Ian made each of those changes(crib to toddler bed to big bed), we made them gradually.  The new bed was set up.  Maybe he napped on it for a few days first.  Then he made the final change, after we had pumped it up as something "Big Boys Do" for a whole day.  We followed "the plan."  With the younger three, we chucked the plan out the window and went with the new plan: NOW.

Brynn got her twin bed:

Blair got her toddler bed:

And Cam got his spacious new crib:

All in one night, with almost no preparation or motivation.

If you want my advice, skip the three step plan, because the kids are all asleep and the new Now Plan works just fine.