Kintropy In Action: Gabriel's Bedtime Plan

Just about every night, I ask Gabriel the same question. "Gabriel, what's your bedtime plan?"

For me, this is an opportunity to signal that bedtime is fast approaching and to give Gabriel some say in any pre-bedtime activities. For Gabriel, it's negotiation time.

"Maybe, some game cabinet time?"

"Okay. You can have fifteen minutes. Then it's time to get ready for bed."

I set our Lego-themed egg timer to fifteen minutes, and Gabriel, appropriately, podraced through Lego Star Wars 1. When the egg timer clanged, Gabriel negotiated an extra minute while it ticked down to silence.

"It's time," I reminded him.

Gabriel dutifully worked through his bedtime routine: bathroom, medicine (with my help), teeth brushing, and pj switch (tonight: Mr. Incredible theme). Next door, Janette worked with Hannah on her bedtime routine concurrently. If the stars were all aligned and both kids went to bed on time and without a big fuss, Janette and I would both get some down time: wow, maybe even together! In the same room!

With that tantalizing idea in mind, Gabriel and I read a story together (okay, a Star Wars comic book - see previous entry for Geek Credentials). Then Gabriel climbed up into his bed, and I wished him a good night.

I moved on to the office/computer room to stroll some of the blogs I like to read and to think about what I would write tonight, killing some time to see if bedtime would "stick."

By the time Gabriel came to check on me, as is his habit, I was stalling, playing Texas Hold 'Em.

"Dad, are you working?" he asked.

"No, not really. I should though." I shut down the game and opened my web browser back up. "Go back to bed, please."

"But," he protested, "can I watch what you're doing on the computer?"

"It's going to be boring," I promised.

"Well, maybe we could go to the store then and get some stuff?"

"I don't think we need anything."

"Well, I think we're out of Spiderman crackers," he suggested.

Suffice to say, I am an easy mark for going to the store: any store, really. I'm not so great at sitting still, and if I can delay writing, it is in my nature to do so. Shortly after, Gabriel and I were collecting orders (Mom essentials: cookies & chocolate) and driving to Safeway. Not the closest Safeway, mind you: the one across town, the one across from the 24-hour Starbucks.

Gabriel behaved well in the store, helping me pick apples he thought looked tasty. We grabbed mostly healthy snacks, actually: low-fat and such. When we paid & loaded into the car, Gabriel said, "Oh, my tummy's hun-gry."

I smiled. "Okay, you have an idea?"

"Sure. How 'bout, um, we go get you a coffee and me a cookie?"

"Plan that for long?" I asked.

"I was thinking about it all the time when we were in the groc'ry store, but I waited 'til we got in the car. Was that a good idea?"

"Yes, very effective," I quipped.

So Gabriel and I stood in line at the rather busy 24-hour Starbucks at 10:30pm. These trips together, late night or otherwise, have always been a favorite of mine, so I indulged both of us. Gabriel got milk and a snack; I got my grande, tripple, non-fat latte (must be said in that order, by the way, for the baristas to accept it). As a dozen-plus, bible study group met in the middle, Mr. Incredible and I enjoyed our snack, talked a bit, and enjoyed the ambience silently on our won.

As soon as we got home, I had him brush his teeth again. He went to bed immediately afterwards, and fell asleep pretty much as soon as his head hit the pillow. Hannah, by the way, is currently asleep as well (and did give Janette some time, too, while we were gone).

Quite the bedtime plan, but Daddy's always happy if Gabriel's Plan includes a coffee run