Hey everyone! Summer is almost here and I was wondering what time most of you have your bedtimes set at. The boys are 6 years old now and we have had a 7pm bedtime for a long time now. Unfortunately, the sun is out late and they don't settle down in their rooms anymore. I am not opposed to moving bedtime to later, but I am concerned about them getting enough sleep. It seems to me that no matter what time they go to bed, they are still awake at 5am! Last night they goofed off in their room until 9:30pm and were up at 5am still. They were destroying things in their closet, so today I moved their beds in front of their closets so they cannot get inside. They are too smart for their own good! I have the closet locks on the doors, but they figured out how to get them off. I am keeping my fingers crossed that tonight they will settle down better since they won't have the closets to play around in. I also NEED the evening to myself. Is it over? I think I need to get cable in my bedroom now so that the boys can watch their shows in the LR and I can watch mine in the BR. I know they are getting older. I guess I just needed to vent about it. They are just driving me nuts.

And, for those of you with older children (5 and older), what discipline has worked for you? I do time outs and they do work. But they continue to come up with more ways to push the limits. They have been grounded for a specific issue (peeing in their room) and that worked for that one issue, but I feel like I am always yelling at them about something! I want to be a happy mom! I don't want to be disciplining them ALL the time. I feel like they are saying amongst each other, "Damn, got busted for that one. Now what can we do." Seriously, I think they collaborate at night about what they are going to do the next day to push me over the edge. Is it a boy thing? They are all in one bedroom and it will have to stay that way. Any thoughts? What works for you?

Is there anyone else here with all boys? Is the fighting, yelling, hitting and talking back a boy thing? Do they have to destroy everything? UGH! I am so exhausted! Thanks for listening and thanks for any advice anyone can offer!

Chris
Mother to BBBBB
born at 28.3 weeks

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