Cul de Sac by Richard Thompson for February 01, 2023

Madeline, Whoopsie Bedtime Pratfall is so 90’s; you need to freshen up your routine.

Maybe she needs a whole Ziegfield Follies show.

Eventually, Dill will have to dance outside Alice’s window.

At bedtime I sometimes go through a song or speech that’s good and long, just to check whether I still remember it. My attention span often runs out before I reach the end, so I’m not sure.

When my son was little, the bedtime routine usually was that I would sing him the same 3 songs: “Dancing Bear” by The Mamas and the Papas, “Dona, Dona” by Chad and Jeremy, and “Lather” by Jefferson Airplane. That was over 40 years ago. I can no longer carry a tune, so now I listen to them on my iPhone.

Alice needs a whole variety show to sleep

Alice is really a remarkably self-aware and articulate little girl.

Some kids just love to stall at bedtime.

Our bedtime routine was short and sweet. Dad said “Go to bed.” And we did.

Most kids want a bedtime story, while Alice wants a bedtime extravaganza!

Soft kitty, warm kitty, little ball of fur. Happy kitty, sleepy kitty, purr purr purr.

Alice, Alice, full of malice, how does your garden grow? With good intention from she I’ll not mention, ‘cuz she’s planting apace an entitled girl with no grace.

Panel 3 : I guess the sheep aren’t helping! :)

Get over yourself, Alice. You are too pampered already…..

When my children were small I used to read them a bedtime story while they were in bed. Sometimes a “Once upon a time” story or a “Grimms” fairy tale or maybe just relate one of my adventures from when I was a young boy (always true and interesting as I grew up on a country farm). They looked forward to a bedtime story so there was never any trouble getting them to bed.