6 Ways to Switch Up Your Tired Bedtime Story Routine

Once upon a time, there was a mommy who was pulling her hair out…

To say I have read Spider-Man: Trapped by the Green Goblin! HUNDREDS of times at bedtime is not an over exaggeration. Other frequent encores include The Little Engine That Could, Good Night Moon (of course), Mother Goose Nursery Rhymes, Mighty Machines and By the Light of the Halloween Moon, never mind that it’s February. Many nights, the repetitious bedtime story routine in our house happens twice — once for my 4-year-old son and once for my 2-year-old son. I lose a little sanity each night as I slowly walk to their bedrooms, fingers crossed my youngest son won’t pick out the board book with 100 first words that we have read a millionfold since he was born. Even as a huge lover and fan of children’s literature with a hefty collection of many beautiful picture books, I confess — I dread bedtime story time.

Reading by rote

I very much appreciate that there are several scientific reasons why children like to hear the same, constant stories over and over and over again — it builds confidence, expands language, is comforting, etc. But like many parents, as quickly as possible and oh-so monotonously, I find myself mechanically reading the same old stories by rote at bedtime. Reciting those predictable words over and over again without variation can be positively mind-numbing. Good night, little house, and good night, mouse… blah, blah, blah. No disrespect, MWB. I adore you, TRULY, but this routine, while simple, lovely and cuddly, is a task I speed through every night. Though the author’s narrative may be brilliant and the illustrator’s images remarkable, after 20 nights in a row, my eyes glaze over and my brain wanders onto other things like, Can I really get away with not washing my hair for work tomorrow? or, Which Housewives city is on tonight? Please be NY! and, I need a (wine) refill once I get him down. The end.

If and when my sons finally decide to move on to a new book (yay), it does not take long — six or seven nights tops, until the novelty has worn off and this mommy is ready to switch it up again.  But alas,  many, many weeks later after every word, page and illustration are painstakingly dissected and gutted, only then do we move on to the next picture book casualty, destined for a similar, worn-out fate.

What’s a tired and disengaged mom (or dad) at bedtime story time to do?

Once more… with feeling

When I guiltily realized that I was checking out and often, I started to incorporate some tiny bedtime-story strategies to: 1) reinvigorate bedtime story time for myself, and 2) remember that my sons are becoming attached to books and stories, hurrah!

1. Use different voices or noises when reading aloud. This may seem like a no-brainer for some moms or teachers, but I fell out of creating different voices for book character(s) as I rushed through the story.  In a nod to the new year, I gave it another try, and guess what? We all enjoy it! Pete the Cat should totally have a California-style, surfer dude accent, and I am pretty proud of my Lego Batman’s voice — a cross between old-school Adam West and Michael Keaton’s adaptation, in my mind. This entertains us, and I can perfect my impersonations because I have countless times to practice and an active listener. I am also attempting to make more sounds when reading. Nothing crazy, but for example, while reading No, David (which has very little narrative but action-packed illustrations) I belt out BANG BANG BANG declarations when David gets in trouble for whacking a metal pot with a wooden spoon. Woo hoo! I can also certainly let out an impressive fire truck wail and mimic a delivery truck back-up horn. Children’s books are made to be read aloud with gusto.

I have also been encouraging my boys to read or say the text aloud with me. Or I’ll assign them a specific character with lines to say or particular noises to make as we are reading.

2. Try the same story using different illustrations or various versions. How about the same story but told by a different illustrator and/or author? Retellings of fairy tales, nursery rhymes and folk tales abound! I am doing this particularly with nursery rhymes because there are so many options and different variations. (Also because nursery-rhyme knowledge has been linked by many scholars to strong literacy and spelling skills later.) My boys love stories of mischievousness like the Gingerbread Man so we have at least three versions by different authors and illustrators, plus some knock-off stories like how the Gingerbread Man goes to school, etc.

3. Introduce children to masterworks. Bravo to the toddler versions of classic tales and artwork like the BabyLit® books, Cozy Classics, Mini Masters and other toddler or preschool adaptations that allow adults to review and enjoy the stories and renderings in a new way. These renditions range from Moby Dick to Dracula to Great Expectations or artwork by Picasso and Van Gogh.

4. Ditto on Bible stories. The options of Bibles for children and read-aloud stories are plentiful and beautiful. My older son loves the David and Goliath and Noah’s Ark stories. This also makes me feel like I am nurturing their character and eases my remorse for skipping church.

5. Collapse two bedtime story times into one nightly story time, alternating who gets to pick the books. According to a Scholastic Kids & Family Reading Report, 79% of children ages 6-8 say that a parent allowing them to choose what books to read has increased their reading frequency.

6. Storytelling, no book needed! My husband is great at this. He starts with something like, “There once was a boy named Colton and one day, he ___.”  And they verbally pass the story back and forth between each other, telling their own unique story.

Maybe bedtime story time reflects motherhood writ large — part duty, exacerbating at times, repetitious, but also absolutely joyful, bonding, fulfilling and loving.  I now (most nights) better appreciate this time and use it to breathe in deep the smell of my boys’ hair, steal several more sweet kisses and squeeze their little bodies extra tight — in between my internal moans and groans while reciting “Hey Diddle Diddle” in a melodious voice for the umpteenth time.

About the Author

Tyler Mikell is a proud Florida native from the beautiful panhandle, a Gator girl and an identical twin.  She transplanted to Jacksonville in 2001 after attending graduate school at Hollins University in Virginia where she earned a master’s degree in Children’s Literature.  Along with board books and fairy tale renditions at home, she is surrounded by super heroes and Legos thanks to two, very active little boys and her awesome husband. She loves being a #boymom, especially in Jacksonville.  Her favorite things are sweet tea or wine, reading, rescue dogs and planning her family’s social calendar.