Easing the bedtime struggles with Netflix 5 Minute Favorites! #5MoreMinutes #StreamTeam

I've teamed up with Netflix for this post. 

I don't know when it started, but bedtime has become a BIG ordeal around here lately. We transitioned well from summer to fall, and even daylight savings time went pretty smoothly. Then, my almost 3.5 year old started stalling and making every excuse as to why he wasn't quite ready for bed each night. Honestly, by the end of the day I'm pretty low on patience. I know I'm supposed to be savoring each moment and cherishing this time with my children while they're young, but some days I just cannot wait to get them into bed so I can relax and enjoy a little down time. I try not to loose my cool when he drags his feet on bedtime routines, so I found myself just giving in out of sheer exhaustion. I must have been saying, "Okay, you've got 5 more minutes," a little too often because he'd turn to me and say it before I even had the chance. Then, I opened my email and found a little announcement from my friends at Netflix - they'd just launched 5 Minute Favorites to help ease the bedtime burden.

As it turns out, I'm not the only one struggling with bedtime. More than 60% of parents around the globe are dealing with their kids’ stall tactics before bed, adding up to nearly 20 minutes every single night. This is precisely why Netflix and DreamWorks Animation released Dinotrux 5 Minute Favorites. They're going to help parents everywhere take back their nights!

I took a look at the infographic above and couldn't help but laugh. My little guy is the perfect mix of "The Negotiator" and "The Flatterer." I really don't know how he does it! Within just a few moments he's got me wrapped around his finger by telling me I'm so "pwetty" and before I know it, he's sprawled out in my bed eating extra snacks while watching his iPad.

I told you all about Dinotrux a few months ago and how my son just adores the Netflix original series, so these 5 Minute Favorites have been amazing for us. I tell my little negotiator that he can watch an entire episode of Dinotrux before he has to trudge off to bed and he eagerly agrees as we fire up his iPad Mini. Within a few seconds, we're streaming a new episode of Netflix's latest hit, all wrapped up in a little 5-minute package. He feels like he's getting one over on me, but I know I'm the one winning this battle.

Have you fallen victim to the bedtime stall trap?
What do your kids do to negotiate extra time before bed?

Disclosure: I'm part of the Netflix #StreamTeam and have a received a promotional item for participating in this program. Image credits: nadezhda1906 / Dollar Photo Club and Netflix.