... ok, so it's 7:37pm & I've just successfully put miss Ruby Cate down for what will be the night. She's not asleep yet however, she's doing her 'I'll keep this up until momma comes in & saves me from this crib' cry which to be frank, isn't much of a cry as it is more a 'whiny dragged out moaning' kinda cry. Sorry kid, Momma was a Nanny way before she was a Momma and I don't play that game! (sadly for you) LOL I also REFUSE to play the 'pick up' game... if something she's playing with falls to the floor by genuine accident, of course I'll pick it up & give it back to her, but if she deliberately chucks said item & sends it barreling to the floor to see if she can make her Momma bend over to pick it up? I don't think so, nope, sorry babe, no can do... Momma doesn't play that game... EVER! This Nanny, turned Momma runs a TIGHT SHIP. Part of that tight ship is the 15 minute rule... none of this co-sleeping stuff for this family. Ruby has slept in her OWN crib since the very first night we became Momma & Ruby! Hell, even Ebenezer has his OWN bed! Ruby knows that bed time means just that, bed time. No games, no playing, no back & forth in the crib/out of the crib crap for me, no way, no how, not a snowballs' chance in hell! Now, this is my own personal choice & to those of you who chose to sleep with your children in the same bed, your life, your choice, your rules. It just was NEVER an option for me & won't be, ever. Now, someday when she's older, if she wants to have a fun 'sleepover' night with Momma & we both sleep in my bed for a special treat, totally different, but it's when she's older & she knows that it's just for a special treat.
She's only 16 months people, at this age, she doesn't get 'special treat' she only gets that she 'wants it' and if I start caving in now, there's NO turning back. So, back to my 15 minute rule... babies cry, it's a fact of life. It won't kill her, harm her, scar her for life, etc... it's crying, it happens. So, I put her jammies on her, get her & Bear all snuggly warm & toasty with their matching blankets, we read a book of her choice, usually 'goodnight moon' and then it's in the crib she goes. I then put her Baby Einstein CD (on repeat play), walk over and kiss her several times, tell her how much I love her, & then do the same to her beloved friend Bear & then it's LIGHT'S OUT & GOODNIGHT! She usually only cries for a few minutes, but I remember the first time I did this here upon returning home, I had family & friends question my tactics of letting her cry it out. I said to them, ever so gently but very firm & to the point: "Ruby is tired, she's crying BECAUSE she's tired... if I allow her cries to get to me & I go in & get her out of the crib, all I've done is TEACH HER that her CRYING gets the desired effect she's looking for." Which is why I do NOT get her, rather I let her cry for up to 15 minutes. Nine times out of ten, my child is asleep in under 8 minutes, EVERY TIME! The off chance that she's still up crying for longer than the 15 minute window, there's most likely a reason for the tears; (she's dropped Bear out of the crib, she's pooped her diaper, her foot is twisted inside her feetie pj's etc...) so then I WILL go in & tend to whatever the problem is but once that's fixed, she goes directly right back into the crib & it's bedtime again. By my answer, most could tell by the tone of my voice that I meant business & honestly, why question a nanny with over 15 years experience on how to parent a child? That would be like me questioning my accountant on how he does my taxes, c'mon! It was my job of choice for years because I LOVED WHAT I WAS DOING & if I may say so, was DAMN GOOD AT IT! I've raised more kids than I have hairs on my head & I'm still very close to ALL of them! It's wonderful and before you all jump down my throat (ugh she thinks she's so perfect...) on the contrary, I never claimed to be perfect, however I do know that I'm good at what I do & it's spilling over obviously in the way I parent my daughter. So maybe the way I do things wouldn't necessarily be the way you chose to do them & that's ok... again, different strokes for different folks, right?
All I know is that as I'm typing this, I am hearing the soft sound of breathing coming from my daughters monitor & I know that I'm obviously doing something right.
G'night all & remember to PLEASE give a SHOUT OUT if you haven't done so already... I LOVE reading all your comments! =)
-Momma ( & one very sound asleep, all snuggled up with Bear, Miss Ruby Cate)
