Changing tactics

Parenting is all about changing tactics. Something will work perfectly one day, and the next day it's disaster. Post-binky bedtimes lately have been successful because we put a book in the crib and leave the light on a little.

"Read for a little bit, and then put your head down and go to sleep."

"Yeah."

Brilliant.

Until tonight, that is. "Light on! Light on! Read Dora book! No bed!" On and on.

I went up there twice and failed both times to convince Lyla that bedtime was a fantastic idea. Then Julie, back in the land of the living, went upstairs to give it her best shot. Lyla was ready for her.

"Meh-sin."

"You don't need medicine, honey."

"Meh-sin!"

"Does something hurt?"

Lyla thought for a moment. "Toe."

"We don't take medicine for a toe."

She tried again. "Mouff."

Then Julie changed tactics and appealed to Lyla's ethos of maturity.

"You are a two-year-old now, a big girl, so it's time to lay down your head."

Again, she thought for a moment. "Yeah."

So somehow, it worked. It probably won't work tomorrow, but something else will.

Hopefully.