Mommy Tricks

I'm so burnt and bent out of shape. I've been trying to send myself email ideas of blogs to write but I don't even remember where I wanted to begin.

I've been trying a little experiment with BB- playing the same songs at the same time of the day.

Bedtime Mix- low-key songs: Beautiful Boy, Lennon; All I need, Air; and Broken Heart, Eddie Vedder (his ukulele album.)

Same as meal times- which isn't as consistent since I only see him for breakfast- I've been coming hope past 8pm on most nights. Ugh. Mommy guilt in full effect.

Meal Times Mix: lounge-y but up-beat, lively and happy. Afternoon Delight (I smile every time this comes on. I can't wait until he realizes what this song's about) Clocks, 50 Ways to Leave your Lover, Another Sunny Day (Belle and Sebastian), Baby I Love Your Way, Kokomo, Blackbird, Could You Be Loved, Is this Love and Three Little Birds.

Results- Bed time- after the third song, he's OUT. This could be because he's run ragged by the time I bring him up at 8:30. I hear some discussion about people who insist 7:30 is bed time...but Maksi doesn't go down until at least 8:30- and if we see the tell-tale tired-boy signs (he turns into 25 year old Sarah after 3am and 7+ Busch pounders- falling all over the place) maybe a little sooner.

I think I have to tweak the meal time mix- I've been shuffling the songs so with 10, there are 3,628,800 possible combinations.We aren't really getting into a rhythm so I think we'll just play from start to finish from here out. For all of you math nerds out there, there are only 6 possible combinations of songs with the 3 (10! vs. 3! = BIG difference.)

I learned this at some teacher's training some time ago- playing songs to set your student's mood. I don't like to think of it as tricking my kid into eating time or sleeping time with the use of some Pavlovian theory...rather, I'm helping him learn how to transition. My parenting theory goes like this: if it's too hard or there's too much resistance...shit ain't right. There's GOT to be an easier way. Most times there is.

Any of you birds do anything to create a more mom-friendly routine for your little birds?

I'd LOVE to hear them.