Daddy's Motivating Speech

I had to work early Thursday morning, so James was Daddy-on-duty that morning. We told Ian Wednesday night that Mommy would be gone in the morning and Daddy would be there to get him up, feed him breakfast, and take him to daycare. Mommy would be back right after lunch to get him.

Ian seemed okay with this until we put him to bed. We did our usual tuck-in routine, ending with "rockit" (Mommy rocking Ian and singing him a song). We had hugs and kisses and put him to bed. A few minutes later, we heard sobs and a very pathetic little boy whimpering for "Mahnee". So, I went in, rockit-ed Ian more, and put him back down after reassuring him I would see him at lunch.

Another few minutes passes and we heard more crying and more sad whimpers for Mahnee. So James went in, told Ian that I was going to bed and that he needed to as well. He gave Ian a hug and laid him back down. James then came out and told me Ian seemed okay with what he had said.

Well, lo and behold, it wasn't too long before we heard Ian again. We looked on the monitor, and he was standing up holding onto his crib rail, patiently (but pathetically) waiting for us to come. So James went back in but didn't pick him up. Instead he gave him a hug and said, "Don't worry. Tomorrow you will get to see Mommy and do a lot of fun things with her. And you'll get to see Daddy and do a lot of fun things with me. But to be ready for tomorrow, you need to get a good night's sleep."

PLOP!

Ian immediately threw himself down on his pillow and cuddled up with his blanket and Skip. I heard the plop from the living room! He went right to sleep after that!

Good job, Daddy!! You are a wonderful motivational speaker! Let's hope the same speech still works when he is 13!