By 7:00pm I am done “momming” for the day.

I wish I had more patience and more of an interest in parenting past that time of day, but I don’t.

By 7:00pm I can’t listen to another rendition of the Phenias and Ferb theme song, break up another fight, or see anyone make a mess.

7:00pm bedtime is nonnegotiable (except on rare occasions like Christmas Eve, the 4th of July, and baseball practice).

There are very few reasons that that make me want to prolong the day.

And it isn’t because I don’t love my kids, or because I don’t love spending time with them, but it is because I need the time without them to recharge and prepare for the next day.

You know the saying that “absence makes the heart grow fonder”, I’m pretty sure that applies to parenting too. Some time apart allows me to be a better mother.

My kids need the 7:00pm bedtime too, three and five year olds play hard!

And the case of one of my kids, they aren’t the best at self regulation, so they need to be reminded to relax, sleep, and stop fighting.

For the foreseeable future we are going to continue the 7:00pm bedtime.

We are going to hear a lot of “I hate you MOMMY!” and “You’re the WORST mom ever!”, but we are all going to be happier.

I am going to feel a sense of control over my life and the kids are going to get the rest they need to function the next day.