My SD4 is for the most part a very good kid thus far... she is possibly the most stubborn child ever and it's hard to get through to her when she has it in her mind that she wants (or doesn't want) something, but she's mostly a good kid. The biggest battle we have is..... BEDTIME!!! I'm sure that is shocking to all of you. I believe that because BM works graveyards, she often allows SD4 to stay up very late so that she will sleep in, thus allowing BM to sleep in... I get that, but it makes it much harder when she is at out house. So every night we send her to bed at 7:30 with the Ipad and allow her watch the IPad and wind down until 8:00. At 8:00 we take the Ipad (and keep in our room, because she was getting up in the middle of the night to sneak and watch it.... at 4 years old)and we tell her that it is bed time. Every night after we take the Ipad, she "has to go potty", she "needs another drink", she is "missing a blanky", can't find her "mommy's picture", is "scared"... I know all of these are excuses to get up and not go to bed, DH on the other hand... I finally got him to stop letting her sleep in our room (There is not enough room for all of us, plus she moves constantly in her sleep and I am a light sleeper.... I also feel that at 4 she can sleep in her own damn bed), he will however let her lay in here for "5 min." which I guess is fine except that DH falls asleep and forgets she is in here (so I get to put her back in bed) and also I feel that it is just perpetuating this behavior. He has gotten better, but last night was the straw that broke the camel's back. She came in our room 5 TIMES, each time with crocodile tears and a new excuse. DH was finally fed up and after yelling at her to go to bed (and her not complying) I stepped in.... I tried the putting her back in bed without saying anything tactic after about 30 rounds, she continued screaming in my face and I was losing my temper. Finally I remembered what had worked in the past- she needs a choice... go to bed now peacefully, or keep throwing a tantrum and go to bed without Hello Kitty. She stopped almost immediately. I told DH I can't handle it anymore, we NEED a plan.

Today we sat her down together and told her our expectations, each night if she goes to bed without a fuss and does not get up, she will a sticker on her chart, 5 stickers = a prize. If she is naughty and keeps getting up no sticker, if there is a temper tantrum, no Ipad. She was excited about the chart, apologetic about last night- distraught going to bed without the Ipad this evening... but all in all I think we got through to her. She went to bed and stayed in bed. let's just hope it sticks... especially since I sometimes work nights and that leaves DH to enforce without me.... I know he likes snuggling with her and I don't blame him, but I think that we need a clear boundary, grey is not a good shade for a 4 year old. If she wants to snuggle in the morning when she gets up I'm all for it... IDK am I being to harsh???