My son and I sat on the top of his bunk bed, as we read through one of the many books that line his bookshelf. After I turned the last page, he brought up his imaginary friend, Sydney. Sydney was a constant visitor in our home and we even made room for him at the dinner table on occasion. Usually I liked hearing about the relationship between my son and his imaginary friend, but I was also, on occasion, freaked out about Sydney. You see, I’ve seen too many horror stories where the kid is the one to see the ghost.
As my son talked about Sydney, he got really quiet and began talking about his friend’s “naughty” brothers. There were 6 of them and they were causing all kinds of havoc. They were not nice. And as the tales became darker, I began to get a few goosebumps. I listened intently, not as a father listening to his son chat away about an imaginary friend, but as one who has watched the Sixth Sense one too many times. As I stared into my son’s eyes, he leaned forward and whispered, “They’re right behind you.” Those few goose bumps turned into a million, as the hair stood on the back of my neck. Never had I wanted to squash a child’s imagination as bad as I wanted to in that moment. And so I said, “There’s no such thing as Sydney’s brothers.” Then I slowly turned my head and looked behind me.
Good night everyone!
I kid, I kid. I’ve got more to say.
Many of the other dad bloggers that are a part of the Restonic Beds #KingORest campaign are writing about how great they are at napping or how wonderful their sleep habits are. That’s great and all, but a good king takes care of his kingdom. And a father’s kingdom is his family. In my kingdom, the most important night’s rest belongs to those that look up to me with little eyes.
Don’t get me wrong, my own sleep patterns are important to me, but with 4 kids – one of them a 9-month-old baby – a full night’s sleep isn’t going to happen for me right now. I try to nap when I can, and often those naps occur while holding the baby. (Which, in my opinion, is the best way to nap.)
In my kingdom, bedtime revolves around the 4 that look up to me. Bedtime is like a do-over from the day. All wrongs can be made right at bedtime. And they should be. Nobody should go to bed with feelings of regret or anger, because that will result in a night of tossing and turning. So I make it a point when I put the kids to bed to seek forgiveness where it is needed or make peace about something that happened. And with a pre-teen in the house, we’re having a lot more peace-making moments.
I love putting my kids to bed; it is my favorite part of the day. The day ends with a perfect picture of what fatherhood can look like. I tuck my kids into bed with prayers, hugs, stories, and lots of love. And that is what makes me the King of Rest. Who wouldn’t want to drift off to sleep knowing that you are loved and cared for?
Bedtime is a special time. Even though my sleep is not my highest priority in the kingdom, it is still important. Drifting off to comfortable sleep should be a priority for everyone. In order to be healthy, one needs restful sleep. At least that’s what Ariana Huffington has been saying on every talk show as she promotes her new book.
I’m not done yet and I have great news. If you would like to have a comfy mattress to lay your weary body upon to help you receive that ultimate good night’s rest, Restonic Beds is giving away one of their amazing mattresses. If you would like to win a queen sized HealthRest® Mattress from Restonic, click below to enter.
- Need more great tips on how to get a good night’s snooze? Check out the Restonic Sleep Blog
- Can’t wait to get a better mattress? Find a Restonic Beds retailer near you!
Disclosure: I have partnered with Life of Dad and Restonic Mattress for this promotion.
I need a new mattress because I have been sleeping on the couch for too long lol
This would be amazing to win!
Thanks for the chance!
Joey J.