The Bed Bugs Bite

We have a little routine at naptime and bedtime where I say, "Good Night, Sleep Tight, Don't let the bed bugs bite." This wasn't really a purposeful part of our routine, it just seemed to me that something should be said when putting the little one down to sleep.

Well, parrot that she has become, Amelia now says what I say. This became really apparent about a week or so ago, maybe longer since it didn't register at first that she had picked up on the routine of the phrase that I was absent mindedly saying. I don't always say the entire phrase and sometimes I just say, "Good night, sweetheart, I love you!" Lately this has been met with, "Sleep tight!" from Amelia, to which I would respond, "Sleep tight!" and she would struggle with, "Bed bite", and I would say, "Don't let the bed bugs bite."

When I caught onto the fact that she was expecting the entire phrase, and having fun saying it herself, I would start it and let her say the next part, repeat it, and then let her say the last part. I generally do this whenever she says anything to encourage and reinforce her language skills. The last couple of days she has really improved on the last part of the phrase and clearly says, "Good night. Sleep Tight. The bed bugs bite." We're still working on "Don't let the ...."