Grab a coffee and sit down... I need your help!

Hi friend,

Have you had your coffee today? No? Go grab a cup and sit down with me. I need some friendly advice.

I realize I'm sort of airing my dirty laundry here. At the risk of you thinking I'm a terrible mom, I'm putting this out in blog land, hoping your advice will bring a little peace to the Brightside house. Though most of our day here is filled with smiles and laughter, there are 3 times a day that I can count on being frustrated and frazzled.

Problem #1: Sleep - My kids wake up before the sun and fight bedtime with every ounce of their energy. They look tired. And I can tell by their moods that they need more sleep.

Ever since the kids were babies, we've stuck to a pretty regular nighttime routine to ensure an early bedtime (currently 7:45-8). Bath, pajamas, teeth, 2 books, 1 song, tuck in with kisses. This worked for about 3-4 years.

But for months now we have had some revolt at bedtime. My older daughter (5 1/2) comes out of her room an average of 4 times after we put her down. Here's a list of what we hear from her, "I'm hungry, i can't sleep, I'm not tired, i want water, i had a bad dream, i''m scared, what if i have a bad dream, what if a crocodile comes in my room, it's too loud, etc". My 3 yr old has recently clued in on this fun game and has started pulling some of the same antics.
Barring illness or bad dreams, they both sleep all night. Maybe I should count my blessings.

Do you have any tips for getting your kids to go to bed without a battle???

Problem #2: Breakfast - My 5 yr old is a vegetarian. It's true. We fought it tooth and nail but as soon as she realized where chicken came from, she refused to eat it. Next were hot dogs (she is convinced there are dogs in them, and that the people who make them have lied to us). No beef (although I haven't told her that porcupine meatballs have meat in them... I'm so bad). No eggs. No milk. She weighs 38 lbs and she's 5 yrs old. Am I worried? Yes. I have tried everything short of sticking a feeding tube down he throat.

After much fighting, I decided to explain to Sierra that there is such a thing as a vegetarian, and that she may choose to be one (someday). But I also explained that vegetarians eat other things to get their protein. We have an agreement that if she won't eat animals, she needs to eat beans, nuts or peanut butter instead. And she does, begrudgingly. Honestly, I don't know where she comes from. My husband and I both love food but she treats it like a nuisance.

Needless to say, it's difficult to find a breakfast she will eat. I've come up with go-to meals for lunch and dinner. But breakfast remains a problem. The two foods she will willingly eat are cinnamon rolls and pop tarts. Not exactly a healthy breakfast for anyone. I'll admit, I give her one or the other a lot. Because she'll eat it and I can get her to school in time. But it's not healthy. I need some alternatives.

Do you have any go-to, easy breakfasts that you can share?

Problem #3: Getting in the car - God, that sounds ridiculous. I swear my kids are actually well behaved and fun to be around much of the time. But getting them in the car in the morning is like pulling teeth. They dilly dally. They stall. They scream. They cry. They hit each other. They tell me I'm a bad mommy. It's awful. Once we get in the car, they are fine and happy to be on their way to school. But for a brief moment every school day, i want to run.

Do you have any tips on how to get your kids to "go" in the morning??

That's it. It's a sloppy, boring post. I apologize. I just need help. It's that simple. :)

Thanks for any tips you might send my way!!!

Have a great day!!!