"Won't they just go to sleep eventually?"

Of course they will.

But there's a good chance they'll go to sleep from (say) 4PM to 2AM, or some other time frame that is incompatible with the adults getting any sleep.

Bitch men continually affirm my faith in Penis People. I love to watch good dads but it makes me sad because I did not get one, too.(I thought I'd be over that particular pain, but having the surrogate go away makes it much more vivid.)

"Won't they just go to sleep eventually?"

I know I am not a parent, but my experience with children is that most of them will fight going to sleep with every ounce of energy and will they have.

I actually do know one child who will voluntarily put himself to bed or even stop playing and lie down for a nap, courteously excusing himself from company, at the age of not-quite-four. But just the one. His parents regard him with wonder and something like fear, and I'm pretty sure his sleep habits are a mystically created In Every Generation There Can Be Only One-type deal.

My cousins were like this. I used to babysit for the two of them when they were little, and they used to come downstairs exactly at 8 and tell me they were going to bed now. Always freaked me out.

{{sj}} Accidents deserve hugs no matter what. Glad you and Teacup Guy are okay. He sounds very swoon-worthy, you know.

a mystically created In Every Generation There Can Be Only One-type deal

Oh my goodness, yes. I'd like to meet that kid.

I know I fought sleep as a young kid. Stayed up as late as my folks would let me and got up way early. I think I was afraid I'd miss something interesting.

Then adolescence hit.

Now if there was a pillow at my desk I would be too busy snoring to post.

That's funny.

Yes it is. And I look forward to seeing him try to reconcile his beliefs with reality.

And I look forward to seeing him try to reconcile his beliefs with reality.

It should make for some interesting COMM posts in the future.

Thanks, Amy, and he is.

The kids needing sleep is minor compared to my need for down time. I need a buffer between the time the kids go to bed and when I go to bed for me time. Me and DH time is nice too.

One of mine goes to bed when tired. The other never will.

Leif fights sleep hard. His first tatic is to delay by giving kisses and hugs to Mommy and his sister (I'm usually the in bed putter, so he avoids me at this time). The second tatic is to ask for a snack after I put him in bed (this no longer works, he gets a pre-bed snack and that's it). The third tatic is to adjust the number of stuffed critters in his crib. The fourth tatic is to hugging and kissing me or having me tuck him in multiple times. Then he'll get out of his crib and try to play quietly in his room.

Leif sounds like quite a handful. Is your daughter better about bedtime?