Since the New Year, we (I) have taken steps to attempt an earlier bedtime, and therefore a slightly better morning wake-up-and-head-to-school-time.

So I (we've) been relatively successful, meaning that we actually stop everything promptly at 7 p.m. (instead of starting to put away painting supplies) and head directly to bed, no passing Go, no collecting 200 dollars. Lights out at 8 p.m. with no exceptions. And I've discovered two things: one, that getting ready for bed takes longer than I originally thought, quickie bath, teeth, pyjamas and a chapter or two really does gobble up an entire hour, and two, wow. Does 7 o'clock ever sneak up on me! It comes so fast! It feels like we have barely put the dishes in the sink before I look up and 6:59 is glaring at me from the microwave, and we are heading up the stairs.

And, it is working. Flipper wakes up on her own more and more often now, in a decent mood, and gets alert enough to actually eat breakfast, something she has been loathe to do in the past, and arrives at school early, which she vastly prefers to arriving late. But it is hard! It is hard to do this every single night without pushing our 7:00 start-time back, and it is hard to arrive home around 5, finish eating a little after 6, and starting something either fun or work-related, and then 7 sneaks up on us without warning.

And there has been an unexpected side-effect: I, too, pass out at 8 or shortly thereafter. I simply cannot stay awake. Then I wake up at 1 or 2 a.m., read for an hour or so, then fall back asleep until 6. But it is hard to get up after falling back asleep. So far, this is the only downside, and one I can live with. I read more and more about how sleep-deprived many children are and how it negatively impacts their health and their ability to focus in school, and I'm glad she is getting the recommended 11 hours for her age, but it's hard. But worth it. And I can't wait for summer to come along so we can toss this schedule right out the window!

Until then, though...7 it is.