The Angel Hour

 

 

If you’re a parent of small children, there is no way you aren’t familiar with the “witching hour.”

Usually, it’s right as dinnertime approaches and everyone under ten in the house completely loses their mind.

They likely want to be held or read 45 books or need homework help or just lie on the floor and whine or scream.

All this while you try to get dinner ready, the house cleaned up, the day of work put behind you, and transition into the evening.

It’s for sure the most magical moment of parenting each day.

In our house, there’s also a corollary to the witching hour.

That’s right before bedtime, when everyone has their pajamas on and teeth brushed and we’re just MINUTES away from dumping them all in their little beds.

Suddenly, children who have bickered and annoyed each other all day are the best of friends.

They quietly read books together or come up with some complicated game that keeps them ridiculously happy and giggling sweetly.

They disappear into a bedroom for a round of pretend school or get engrossed in a puzzle.

And despite the fact that two hours earlier you were swearing that everyone would be IN BED WITH THE LIGHTS OFF by 6:40, you’re suddenly letting them stay up an extra thirty or forty (or sixty) minutes, because it’s all so calm and sweet and you’re not prying anyone’s limp, screaming form off the floor.

Does this happen to anyone else?

I know it can’t be just us, because a few weeks ago, Ella memorized a poem by X.J. Kennedy called, “How to Stay Up Late.”

It describes all the ways to play when grown-ups start getting tired and looking like they’re about to send you to bed, from working quietly on a stamp album to writing Lincoln’s biography, and finishes:

So kids, wise up. Unless you likeTo go to bed too fastJust save your most impressive playOf all day long for last

I laughed my head off when we first read this poem, because that’s exactly what it looks like at our house. The best playing and most sweetness happens when everyone is trying to ward off the impending bedtime.

And how can you not love nicely playing siblings, all cuddled up in their PJs for the night, looking clean and cozy? Especially if you’re comfortably reading a book on the couch in your own jammies?

Fully 90% of the pajamas in our house are from Carter’s (and we own a LOT of children’s pajamas – I know because I just folded them all yesterday. . . ) and I love the wide variety of styles from one-piece sleepers to mix and match sets.

They hold up well enough that Star is still wearing ones we purchased for Ella 5 years ago and they look basically brand-new and they’re made of the softest cotton and fleece. Plus, they’re just so dang cute.

Starting on October 28th, Carter’s is launching their Dreamland Sweepstakes on Instagram and Twitter where they’re giving away three daily $100 Carter’s gift cards for posting cute or funny pictures of your littles ones snoozing away in their PJs.

Plus, on October 29th, which is apparently Jammie Day (who knew?), you can get double rewards points on any Carter’s PJ purchase both in stores or online. Their Rewarding Moments program is free to join and a super simple way to save even more when you shop at Carter’s. And you can get 20% off your purchase of $40 or more with the code CARHOLIF online or with this coupon in store.

If only the jammies would put my children to bed too.

Because, inevitably, the angel hour turns sour after 30-45 minutes and someone gets hurt or steals a book and suddenly, nothing is more appealing than tucking them, very quickly, into bed and crossing your fingers that everyone stays there until 7 a.m. the next morning.