One day, I stumbled upon a parenting hack that has since become a staple in our house. Allow me to introduce you to The Getting Ready Monster. He loves to eat (or tickle or chase or…) children, but he hates getting ready (particularly for bed, but really it can be anything). The only way to stop the Getting Ready Monster is to start getting ready. Is the Getting Ready Monster chasing you? Pick up that toothbrush and watch him squirm. But you better keep going! Put on that toothpaste and brush those teeth real good. The Getting Ready Monster is absolutely repulsed by fresh breath. He can’t stand pajamas and will try to stop you at every turn. Time for stories? If you’re clever enough to pick a night-time themed one, you’ll hear him howl for miles. 

For a long time, I had no idea why this worked, but it was magic. Any time the kids aren’t cooperating, or in grumpy bedtime moods, or fighting with each other… I just have to say “uh oh… I think I hear… is that…?” and they immediately know what’s coming. Wide grins spread across their faces and they squeal with delight as they rush to put their PJs on before The Getting Ready Monster shows up (yes, I am The Getting Ready Monster, if that wasn’t clear). We’ve been doing this in our house for years and it has given me a lot of time to consider what it is that makes it work. 

Kids want control, but they yearn for discipline. They will fight you for power, but they need you in charge. The Getting Ready Monster provides a clear framework where they can make things happen and exert control over their environment, but it’s clear what they have to do in order to have the desired results. They get to pretend-rebel against authority (“Don’t you dare pick up that toothbrush!!”) without actual consequences. On top of that, it creates a playspace that is full of adrenaline and end of the day energy bursts. The cherry on the top is seeing the adult(s) in their lives act like absolute fools. (For more on this, check out The Power of Play)

I’m not going to lie, it can be really exhausting. In order for it to work, you have to commit to the bit. The Getting Ready Monster has to have high energy and he has to mean what he says. You have to play an active role in the game, otherwise all of those benefits mentioned above don’t surface. I don’t always have that energy and sometimes the kids ask to play Getting Ready Monster and I have to say no. But I’ll tell you what: it always ends up taking more energy to fight them going to bed. 

Watch The Getting Ready Monster in action and see my kids get ready for bed in a RECORD 2.5 minutes, giggling the whole time.