As the kids get older, bedtime gets easier.  No, it doesn't exactly get easy, but it does get easier.  Here's a little picture of the bedtime trials and tribulations with our newly-minted five-year-old.  I've broken it all down into complaint/ solution...  I hope some of our simple solutions work for you! 

(This post is written in partnership with Dock A Tot.  All opinions and ideas are my own. ) 

Complaint number one: It’s too dark!!  Solution: Dave installed a dimmer on the light switch and now she can sleep with her lights on the dim setting all night long. 

  Complaint: I won’t know when it is morning!  (So I will find it necessary to get up a thousand times to ask you if it is morning yet).

Solution: Hatch Baby Rest (night light, sound machine, ok-to wake, all in one device).  We use this both as a sound machine and an ok-to-wake light.  I particulary love this device for two reasons.   The first is that it is controllable via Bluetooth through my phone.  I can turn the sound up if the big kids are being noisy and I can easily change the wake-up time right from my phone! Yay! (You can find one HERE). 

Complaint: I’m thirsty!

Solution:  Cup of water next to the bed.  I only put a few inches of water in so that if it spills, it’s not a big deal.  If you are concerned about spillage, you could try this still-proof cup.  

Complaint: What If I wake up before the green light (ok to wake signal) and I want to play? She literally asks this question every. single. night.  

Solution: Sloane sleeps with her two favorite Angel Dear loveys every night.  They serve as both a toy and a security blanket.  She’s had her pink owl since she was a new-born baby.  I love these security blanket/ lovey dolls and they are always my go-to baby gift for new moms.  (You can find them HERE. )

Complaint: My pillow fell out of bed and I’m scared to get it! What if I fall out? 

Solution:  Dock A Tot Grand.  When we moved Sloane to a bed around two years old, we opted not to use a bed rail.  In my opinion, bed rail make cuddling tricky and tidying the bed is near-impossible!! So, right from the begining, I would just set her pillows in a U-shaped formation and tuck in her in tight.  It pretty much worked- I think she only fell out of bed maybe once?  Until recently… In the past six moths or so, Sloane has been knocking her pillows out of her bed.  For some reason, she is terrified of reaching down and getting them herself.  This has led to many middle of the night crying jags, followed by me dragging myself into her room to arrange her pillows- not exactly what I want to be doing at four in the morning.  After quite a few interrupted nights, I decided to check out the Dock A Tot.  This cozy contraption is everything.  Sloane loves it, she cuddles right in, blankets go up and over and nothing/ no one falls out of bed in the night and everyone stays asleep. She even brings it downstairs for movie night or into her sister’s room for a sleep-over.  The only problem? I want one in my size.  This thing is legit-comfortable. Now, if they could only find a way to solve the whole, "I don't want to sleep by myself" conundrum...  Any ideas??