Lock the door!

We decided to have an open-door policy for our kids at night-time, so that they could always find the comfort they might need on a dark night. Overall, it's been a great system -- we seem to sleep better than we hear other parents talk about, and our kids seem to benefit from a little extra snuggle time to fend off the bad dreams. Of course, it makes opportunities for sex a little more rare, at least if we want the comfort of our king size bed.

I've made it a personal policy, since I'm the night owl and always go to bed later than everyone else, that if the bed is empty (besides my husband), that I'll lock the door and climb in naked as my way of suggesting sex. That little click of the lock wakes my husband from the deepest sleep and he pretty much never says no. Such a silly little signal, but it works for us! And our kids have learned that sometimes, they have to knock! And sometimes, we say, not tonight.