Bedtime in our house has always been a work in progress. Some nights go smoothly, and others feel like chaos—like herding tiny, overtired cats. But over time, we’ve found a routine that usually works for us:
✅ Get our wiggles out with a 5-10 minute run-around
✅ Pajamas on!
✅ Brush our teeth
✅ Share our favorite part of the day (led by Dad)
✅ Talk about what we’re grateful for (also led by Dad)
✅ Each child picks a book to “read,” or we read to them
It’s not perfect, but it gives us some structure—until Dad has to travel. That’s when things get tricky. At their young age, our kids don’t fully understand why he’s gone, and bedtime, a time that’s supposed to bring comfort, suddenly feels off.
I do my best to prepare them, giving as much notice as possible and reminding them for two nights before he leaves, but they still get emotional. And when it’s time to lead our bedtime talks, I try—but I’m just not Dad.
Finding Comfort in Connection
In moments like this is when I was so grateful for Glow Bears—Luna and Glowy, their special bedtime buddies. My husband can leave recorded stories and sweet messages, helping to keep his presence close even when he’s far away.
Before he leaves, he picks out a book for each of them—something meaningful that makes them feel connected. Most recently, he chose The Invisible String by Patrice Karst, a beautiful story about the unbreakable bond between loved ones, no matter how far apart they are, which was very relevant in our situation. So he voice recorded reading the book in the Glow Bear so the girls could retrieve it on demand and still hear his voice at bedtime.
With international travel and time zones sometimes making bedtime check-ins impossible, Glow Bears have given them a little extra comfort. Is it the same as Dad being home? No. But it helps—just enough to make bedtime a little easier.
So, to anyone struggling with bedtime when a parent is away, it’s not easy. But finding small ways to keep the connection alive—a recorded story, a bedtime buddy, a simple reminder of love—can make a difference.
Sharing in case it helps another mom out there. ❤
Supporting Sources:
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6587181/
https://www.psu.edu/news/health-and-human-development/story/consistent-bedtime-linked-better-child-emotion-andbehavior
https://www.sleepfoundation.org/children-and-sleep/bedtime-routine