God Made Them Cute (Because Bedtime Is a Marathon)

My aunt once told me there’s a reason God made children cute.

And my goodness… when bedtime rolls around in this house, that statement proves true every single night.

Let me be clear—I would never harm a hair on their heads. But when you are the playground supervisor, teacher, caretaker, professional butt wiper, housemaid, playmate, and the recipient of all that wonderful childhood sass… well, suddenly that whole “God made them cute” thing really starts to make sense.

Now if you’re a single mom, my hat is absolutely off to you.

I’m not technically a single parent, but some seasons of military life can feel a little like it. My husband works long hours, travels often, and misses more birthdays, games, and anniversaries than either of us would like. That’s been part of our reality for years.

It doesn’t mean he doesn’t care. His job is demanding, and the sacrifices are real on both sides.

But when you’re the one doing most of the day-to-day parenting, especially during certain seasons, it can feel exhausting in a way that’s hard to explain.

And bedtime?

Bedtime is its own Olympic sport.

Lately I’ve been wondering if six-year-olds have sleep regressions, because some nights feel like every episode of Bluey rolled into one.

My daughter will come out of her room needing something new every ten minutes.

Her stuffed animal needs to be warmed up.
She’s suddenly thirsty.
She needs to make sure we have glue for a craft she plans to do tomorrow.

A craft that, apparently, I should have already known about… since I’m both the teacher and the playmate around here.

Kids have a funny way of keeping you on your toes.

But they also have a funny way of reminding you how small they still are.

A caregiver once told me something I’ve never forgotten: put your hand next to your child’s hand. It’s a simple visual reminder of just how little they still are.

And sometimes, right in the middle of a chaotic day, they’ll say something that stops you in your tracks.

The other morning their dad made eggs and told them to “come eat while they’re hot.”

My six-year-old started eating, but her eyes began watering because the eggs were too hot.

When I told her she could blow on them, she looked at me very seriously and said, “Daddy told me to eat them while they’re hot.”

I tried explaining it was just a saying.

She responded, very matter-of-factly, “Well… I’m six. I don’t understand proverbs.”

Another time she was being particularly sassy and I told her to watch her mouth.

She immediately crossed her eyes trying to look at her own mouth and then announced, “I can’t watch my mouth.”

And honestly… how do you not laugh at that?

Parenting is exhausting.

Every year you think you’ll be less tired, but the truth is you’re often just tired in different ways. Maybe less physically exhausted, but definitely more mentally worn out.

So if you’re in the thick of bedtime battles, constant questions, and the hundredth trip out of the bedroom after lights out, give yourself a little grace.

Set boundaries.
Create routines.
Hold the line when needed.

But also remember something important.

Your kids keep coming back out of their rooms because you are their safe place.

They love being near you.

And while that doesn’t make bedtime easier in the moment, it does help a little when you’re standing there for the hundredth time wondering if you’ll ever get to finish a shower alone.

Because the truth is, we only get so many years of this.

The chaos.
The questions.
The bedtime negotiations.

One day the house will be quiet.

And strangely enough… we might even miss it.