The Lock Down

I don't know how many of you saw my Facebook status a few weeks back, basically PLEADING for advice on what to do to get my little, very hard headed, pride and joy, two year old to be in bed before 1 a.m.... if you did, you saw that one of my friends wrote a post on my wall telling me that I wasn't going to like reading what she had to say, but that she had to lock her little girl in her room... after that post there were four or five after claiming they thought they were the only one that did it...... I was sold and planned to do it the next night...... then Kevin stepped in and said absolutely not........ so.........he was put in charge of bed time....... he put in a good effort but when it came down to his way being letting D watch Ratatouille (yes, I had to look at the movie to see how to spell it) two times in a row at 11 at night......it was time for a change... I know Kevin recognized it because he agreed to change the lock to the outside of the room. The only way he said he would do it was if he didn't have to play any part in the "torture".........

The lock down took place last night.... Dax, Wy, and I all watched a half hour of Dancing when it was Wyatt's turn to go to bed.... Dax happily said "Night Wy" probably assuming he had a while before it was his turn... but then again, I kind of think Dax knew there was a change brewing because he was very sweet just before I said we needed to go brush his teeth... Kevin probably clued him in by continually saying "good luck tonight, you'll need it" and "say good prayers tonight bud"... anyway... I got him in his bed, I moved a night light to a shelf that he couldn't reach... he instinctively started the tears when I said "D it's time for bed, I love you, and good night" I shut the door and all H3*% broke loose... the poor kid cried like I've never heard him cry before... truth be told, I almost cried myself.....especially when he said "mommy don't do this".....

Right after I told Kevin that I couldn't go in because if I did he'd know I'd come in every time he hit the door, I heard him run to the other side of the room... For fear he was going to throw his body through the door, I opened the door... he was only getting a car... He said "Mommy, I'm sad... need smile sticker" We got some stickers in the mail that we've been putting on our noses... he wanted it on his nose, he sounded like a puppy that couldn't stop crying, it was HEART BREAKING! He got the sticker......but then....... I put him in his bed and said "D you have to stay in bed or I have to shut the door" I waited outside the door, and to know surprise, he got out....... so I had to lock him in.... I let him cry for quite some time when I heard, "Mommy, I pooped"......MAN DID HE!!!!!!! I changed him, put him in bed and said the same thing I had before, that he needed to stay in bed or the door had to be shut and locked....

NO LIE, HE WAS ASLEEP AT 8:59........ another great thing is that Wyatt slept through the entire thing!

If you happened to read Kevin's profile status last night your read the following: "Is child abuse one word or two?"

I don't think that what I did was child abuse. I know my child and I know that this had to be done. He's a growing two year old boy that needs sleep and I'm a 26 year old Mommy who has two boys 20 months a part, and I NEED my sanity... and tonight I got it:) I'm happy that locking him in only had to be a scare tactic and hope that it can remain that way.... wish me luck :)

The sticker on his nose is the smile sticker... it didn't make him as happy as he'd liked, but at least he got some sleep... before 11 at night :)