I turned bedtime fights into next-level slumber-party fun. It makes parenting more enjoyable.

• As a parent, there's nothing I enjoy less than the fights around bedtime.
• I turned bedtime into a game by making my daughter check in to a made-up hotel in her room.

Being a mom is great but it's also challenging, especially when my kids surprise me with some of the shenanigans they pull. One of the things that consistently surprises me is how hard bedtime can be.

I remember wanting to stay up late and nagging my mom for just five more minutes of anything that could keep me awake just a little bit longer. But I didn't remember the full-on meltdowns and tantrums until I was on the other side of the bedtime battle.

Lean back

The other day, my daughter said I was being mean — which of course means I'm just being a mom and holding boundaries — and that she was leaving and running away. My daughter packed her toy suitcase and told me, "I'm going to leave this house and go to my friend's and get a snack."

Instead of telling her no, forcing her to stay, or trying to get her to see reason, I said, "Great." I chose not to fight my daughter. Instead of trying to convince her not to leave, I made it more exciting to stay than to go.

"Why don't we make your room a hotel, and you can check in to it?" If a side-eye smile was a person, it would've been my daughter in that moment. My daughter loves everything about hotels, so I knew she'd be into it.

It was check-in time

"Welcome to the Farlyn Woods Hotel. Do you have a reservation?" I asked.

"Yes!" she said, giving me both her name and her address.

"Wonderful. I would like to show you to your room. It's one of our finest. It's on the second floor," I said pointing to the stairs on her bunk bed. "You'll just need to go up the stairs. You can leave your suitcase right here. And we have a complimentary hug and kiss service. Would you like a hug and a kiss?"

"Yes!" she said, and then she went up the stairs and tucked herself into bed.

Then her brother said, "I want to check in, too!"

He came over to the chair I had set up as the reception desk, I checked him in, and I showed him to his room. I said, "This is also one of the best. It's here on the ground floor and comes with Spiderman sheets. Would you like a hug and kiss?"

All of a sudden, bedtime became this playful process because I joined them in their world instead of trying to force my daughter back into mine. Instead of going to bed in tears, everyone fell asleep with smiles.

Gamifying lets me stress less

As a solo parent, I don't have someone to take the reins when the day's been extra stressful or I need a parenting time-out. I have to find other ways to get my kids to cooperate — because they are tiny humans with big emotions and reasoning doesn't always work. Gamifying my parenting makes it more fun for all of us, and it saves me a few arguments or voice-raising moments along the way.

It makes a difference, because when I get stressed out my kids want to fight me on whatever rational thing I want them to do. My kids are expanding their boundaries, learning what they can achieve, and exploring how to express what they want every single day. When bedtime rolls around, their little bodies — and brains — have run an emotional marathon and tantrums can ensue.

I've learned the best tool I have to get my kids to listen to me is to meet them where they are. That means tapping into what they love, what motivates them, and turning things into games whenever possible. It reduces my stress and creates a better experience for my kids, too.