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Renee Chou: Bedtime kisses again and again and again ...

I love being a mom. And yet I must admit, every day, what I often look forward to most -- is putting my daughter to bed.

Posted Updated
Bedtime
By
Renee Chou
, WRAL anchor/reporter

I love being a mom. And yet I must admit, every day, what I often look forward to most — is putting my daughter to bed.

Partly because of the ritual — reading stories together is great and the snuggles are sweet. But after that final hug and kiss and after I close her bedroom door, I'm doing my "happy dance." (Moms, you know what I’m talking about!)

Because that’s when I have a small sliver of time to myself to unwind; to decompress; to journal; to talk to my husband uninterrupted; to prepare for the next day; to scroll through social media; to read half a chapter in that novel that’s taking me weeks to finish; or to crank out a blog post. It's time in which I can choose what *I* want to do. And oftentimes, I gladly choose peace and quiet.

Hoping for 'me time'

That peace and quiet time used to be as much as 90 minutes. Back when Elsa was a baby, we could put her down at 6:30 p.m. and she was out!

For the most part, she's been a champion sleeper. Inevitably, as she got older and older, her bedtime would get later and later. We aim for 7:30 these days, but it doesn’t always happen. She wants to draw a picture, read more books, watch one more episode, play with her toys—basically do anything BUT go to bed. Sometimes her energy and unwillingness to go to bed stretches to 9 at night. ( I know it doesn’t sound late, but my weekday alarm goes off at 2:30 a.m., so I liken that to your child staying up past midnight when you have to get up at 6!)

I don’t have a whole lot of wiggle room. Every minute she procrastinates, I selfishly think about a minute of “me time” that’s vanished, along with my dwindling sleep.

More hugs and kisses

Even after I tuck her in bed, inevitably 10 minutes later, Elsa will come into my room, declaring she wants more hugs and kisses. I oblige. Then another 10 minutes go by. My bedroom door barges open and this streak of pink pajamas dashes into my bathroom to hide. Then another flash of pink—and I hear footsteps running down the hall back to her room.

Several minutes later, she’s back at my bedside, asking me for more hugs and kisses. This might happen three to four times during the next hour that was supposed to be my “me time.” By the third time, I’m not amused. There’s frustration and exasperation in my voice when I tell her: "Elsa, it’s WAY past your bedtime! You need to go to bed! And stay there!"

Elsa’s almost 5 now. I can’t keep her in bed, and she knows it. I also sadly realize that she’s quickly outgrowing my sleep schedule. If I keep the morning gig, I know there will come a time when she’ll be the one to tuck ME in bed, while she stays up a bit to enjoy her quiet time.

Wishing for 'extra love'

One night, I was extremely drained after a long day of work. Elsa wasn't cooperating at bedtime, being her playful self. After her shenanigans of running in and out of my room, asking for more hugs and kisses, I told her: "I already give you hugs and kisses when I tuck you in bed! Why don't you ever stay in bed?"

She flashes me her sweet, bright smile. "Because, Mommy … I want EXTRA love!"

Of course!​ And what kind of mom would I be to deny that?

Excuse me — I would finish this blog, but I have a little girl who just came into my room wanting some “extra love.” And I'll give it to her, even if it means a shorter night of sleep. Because while my patience does have its limit, the well from which those hugs and kisses come is never-ending.

Renee Chou, WRAL-TV morning anchor, is the mother of one. You can find her monthly on Go Ask Mom and all of the time on her Facebook page.

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