Mom Tells Her Twins To ‘Go To Bed’ But Is Unprepared For Their Comeback

Apr 19, 2023

Twins can be double the fun but also double the trouble. If they don't want to cooperate, well, you'll have your hands full trying to corral two at the same time. This story from 2011 demonstrated that.

This mom of then-18-month-old twin boys Chris and Zac had nap time down pat and recorded their nap time routine for all the world to see. Some parents may be taking notes. Others may be scratching their heads and wondering how on earth she pulled this off.

The video started in the hallway, not far from their bedroom door. The twins were dressed in matching brightly-colored outfits and sitting on a small rug on the floor when mom, Kristine, told them, "Go to bed."

She had to repeat it, but they soon picked up what looked like a cross between a bottle and a sippy cup and raced off down the hall, with Kristine hurrying to keep up and keep them in view so she could keep recording. Then she and the boys entered their delightful bedroom.

Each boy had his own crib. They were placed end-to-end and outfitted with a zip-up mesh tent, probably to keep bugs out so the kids weren’t bitten by mosquitoes while they went to sleep. They both tossed their drinks over the railing, freeing their hands up. Then they began to climb.

One of the boys was much more talented at climbing into his crib. He gymnastically flipped himself over the railing in record time. Meanwhile, his brother struggled. Read on to learn more about this impressive routine.

The first boy, possibly bored and waiting on his brother to get with the program, tossed his blanket out of the crib. Kristine retrieved it for him and promptly gave it back. Finally, both boys were in their own cribs. The mom helped them zip their mesh tent closed while cooing "night night" at them. They cooed back.

We don't really know if the two boys would actually lie down and promptly go to sleep, but it was wonderful to see them race off to their crib without making a fuss. Letting them handle parts of it themselves seemed to have helped get the mom the buy-in she needed to make the start of nap time a low-drama affair instead of a reason to tear her hair out.

As part of the video's YouTube description, Chris and Zac's mom filled viewers in on the details. The description began:

"And so here's our story. (T)his is our VERY first YouTube video. I took this video for family who lives far away, so they could see how the family was growing and becoming pretty athletic at a young age. We never taught them to do this. One day I told the Zac & Chris, identical twin brothers, to go to bed and they did it! They just ran to bed and hopped in! I was shocked, and now they do it on a regular basis. This is their favorite part of the day, when they get to parkour themselves into their beds together and see who makes it in first. They are 1.5 yrs in this video.”

The description continued:

“The crib tents are to keep them safe if they wake up while we are sleeping, because they tend to silently climb out and try to go in places that could be dangerous for them, and they help to keep bugs out of the cribs, just in case. (A)nd yes...we brush their teeth after they fall asleep—a fabulous recommendation by our dentist!"

While the video was definitely cute and funny, it also pointed to something quite consequential: the importance of having a bedtime routine for your young children. For example, according to a 2018 study published in Sleep Medicine Reviews, the benefits of a bedtime routine extend beyond a good night's sleep. Other benefits include "language development, literacy, child emotional and behavioral regulation, parent–child attachment, and family functioning, among other outcomes."

Following their research, the authors of this study recommended a few key steps to ensure a healthy bedtime routine. The first step, which the authors noted, is to be consistent. They wrote, "Include the same steps each night, as many nights of the week as possible." While we can't know for sure, it certainly seemed like Chris and Zac's mother had established a consistent bedtime routine. Otherwise, how would Chris and Zac know to run to bed when their mother told them to go to bed?

The second important step that the authors mentioned is that parents or caregivers should include two to four "adaptive activities." Examples include having your kids brush their teeth, pray, read/listen to a bedtime story, or take a bath.

The third step, which is rather broad, is to include "positive parent–child interactions." In other words, you want to make your kids feel safe and loved before they hit the hay. Maybe your kids like to cuddle or be rocked before bed, for instance. However, according to the fourth guideline, none of these activities should go on for too long. In total, the entire bedtime routine should not last longer than 30 to 40 minutes. Chris and Zac's mom definitely followed this rule! She had her kids in bed in just a bit over a minute!

Finally, the researchers emphasized that parents should avoid "maladaptive activities" before bedtime. Maladaptive activities essentially include anything that might interfere with your children's sleep. That means no television or video games before bed!

But as WebMD's parenting reference, Grow, noted, "There are no hard-and-fast rules for bedtime. Each individual has their own sleep needs. Your child is unique. If your routine is working, then it is probably best for you."

And that certainly seemed to be the case for Zac and Chris. While their bedtime routine was a bit short — and was quite unorthodox by most standards — their mom had every reason to stick to it as long as it worked for them as a family. Plus, it was too cute watching these two munchkins race to get into bed! And if you loved this video, which you can watch below, it turns out that there's a part two in which Zac and Chris got into bed even faster than the first time.

Aren’t these the cutest toddlers you've seen? What bedtime routine do you have for your kids? Let us know, and be sure to pass this along to someone who would get a giggle out of this story!