We have never let the littles watch much TV, hoping that this would help stop them from turning in to couch potatoes, and foster the development of some great imaginative play skills along the way. We knew all along that they would eventually want to watch some, we were just delaying it for as long as we could.  Of late, we have gradually been allowing them to watch little snippets, mostly of sporting events.  It’s no secret that we are huge SENS fans, so you can likely guess how often it is hockey that they watch. While Woo gets to watch hockey for ten or so minutes once or twice a week, this past Saturday was one of Goose’s first few times watching a bit of a game:

This is how they react to the TV being turned on

After we finally got them into their chairs

Yesterday at bedtime, I let Woo know that Willy would be going to the game. He first asked if Daddy was playing for the Senators (hehe), then asked if he could go and watch. I let him know that sadly, the answer to both was no, but that he would be able to stay up and watch a few minutes of the game with me. I didn’t think twice in telling him this, as today was a daycare day and I knew he would come home well rested and full of beans. He always does.

Sadly, when I arrived to pick him up, I was told that he had not napped! This shocked me, and the crank that followed made me doubt that staying up for the start of the game at 7:30 was going to happen. He soldiered on though, and we settled in on the couch for cuddles at puck drop. As we sat there, I gave him a choice. He could stay for ten minutes and then head to bed for stories and cuddles or he could watch and cuddle for twenty minutes, followed by a quick trip to bed.  He negotiated a third option that involved twenty minutes on the couch with a story read there and we settled in.

I should have known that you don’t negotiate with the tired and cranky three year old, and you certainly don’t overstimulate him when it is already well past his bedtime.  I knew that he was keen to watch the game and wanted to give him a treat.  I should have known. Sadly, bedtime took another hour post viewing* and was filled with many tears, cuddles, tucks and re-tucks, and a few complete meltdowns (all him, I swear).  He finally fell to sleep a little after nine, and will likely be well out of sorts tomorrow.

I am fairly certain that I will need to find slightly less stimulating choices for these types of night.  It shouldn’t be hard.

*the sad part?  after he was finally settled and I was able to resume watching the game, the Sens scored their first goal.  It was literally seconds after I paused it to settle him in bed.  I so wanted to wake him!