Something about Japan that always puts a smile on my face is that many stores play “Auld Lang Syne” when they are closing. When my son was very young and I started to give him his nighttime bottle routinely I decided to augment his bedtime routine a little more by humming the same tune each time there was only one tune that seemed appropriate.
1.5 year later Lex’s mother and I still hum “Auld Lang Syne” to him as he drinks down his final bottle (yes, a bottle still, but it is his only one all day long, promise!). I’ve written about the miracle of routines, but this one is particularly miraculous.
Nighttime Routine Humming Switches Gears
At least once every two week Lex is over-tired or just plain cranky. I tell myself each time that even though he is jumping out of my arms just as we get his night-clothes on and reach for the bottle, that I should give the rest of the routine a try. As I start to lay him back on his “feeding pillow” and place a simple “burping cloth” over his forehead (other parts of his nighttime routine) I start humming “Auld Lang Syne”. Then, by the time I bring the bottle to his mouth, nine nights out of these ten cranky nights Lex switches gear completely and calmly drinks down the bottle. When done he immediately goes willingly to his crib and we don’t hear from him for the rest of the night.
Step Up as a Responsible Father
If your child has a nighttime routine that you don’t know 100% then step up as a responsible father. Learn it and reinforce it. If you feel the routine could be enhanced I recommend adding a hummed tune, possibly always the same one. We’ve had wonderful results. Lex was a terrible nighttime sleeper once, but now I barely even remember those nights and I partially credit the routine and “Auld Lang Syne”.