Bedtime Battles

"Put that chain down and go to bed," is what I just heard my husband tell our 4 year old. Seriously?! Is this something that needs to be said? Now, I realize that some might ask why she has a chain in the first place; to which I respond, I was not aware that she removed it from the garage until 5 minutes ago. As strange as her bed-mate might be, the fact that she has a random object and is playing with it while she should be sleeping is just par for the course. Bedtime has been battle ground zero for Miss Rebecca for as long as I can remember. When she was first learning to sleep in a "big girl bed," she would climb out and peer at us from under the door. When the creepy stare and nonstop screaming failed to get a response, she would resort to sticking as much of her hand as possible under the door. Needless to say, this display would occasionally freak out dinner guests. Now the door stays open, but we are constantly bombarded by requests for hugs, tuck-ins, and potty breaks which occur with such frequency that we have begun speculating that she may be part camel. I realize that her natural body rhythm would be to stay up late and sleep in, but reality is that doesn't mesh with things like going to school. And, to be completely candid, I enjoy having a couple of adult only hours with my husband. So, it is the quest for these few child-free hours which will keep us fighting the bedtime battle and saying things like, "Put down the chain and go to sleep."