Each night again, mom Valérie looks forward to the evening ritual with her three kids. Why that is, you can read here!

“We’re a family of five and we always seem to be short of hours in a day. My husband and I both work, we have busy jobs and we also juggle three children and everything that comes with it. Driving them to hockey training, a ride to music class, school treats and birthday parties, practicing multiplication tables and building Legos, all that while also keeping the household running. Our life with kids is just like any other family’s with young children: busy!

That is precisely why I always look forward to thé moment of peace and quiet of the day: the evening ritual with our kids. We give them a bath, we try to calm them down and reduce the stimuli, which we mostly succeed in after the inevitable drama of rinsing their hair, that is. Then we’re ready for a last moment of me-time with each of our children before we close the day. 

Our older kids choose their bedtime story themselves but for our one year old daughter, it is mostly me who picks the book. Together we sit on the couch in her dimly lit bedroom and Juliette switches on her night light. She can choose which animal can join us this time and listen to the story that I read to her.

I’ve noticed that it calms her down to always follow the same pattern: bath, pyjama, sleeping bag, night light and a bedtime story. Juliette knows what’s coming. She knows that it’s almost time to close her eyes, when the night light is switched on. After a hectic day I really enjoy these peaceful moments. I feel like I can relax for a bit with my daughters and son before they go to sleep.

After some cuddling time, I put Juliette to bed and I move her night light a little closer. Because the Yumi Yay light doesn’t switch off immediately but gently goes out after 20 minutes, Juliette can start her night feeling assured. The Yumi Yay friend of her choice will stay with her and gives her a feeling of familiarity.

And me? I can sneak out the bedroom unnoticed. My daughter feels safe and I move on to my next kid’s bedroom for the same ritual.