ILPM "use other words please"

Because put down /= fell asleep. Went to bed implies the baby did it on their own like they just waved good night, closed their bedroom door and popped themselves into the crib. In my experience the bedtime experience is more like killing a pet cat than it is like that.

How's about the old standard: "We put him/her to bed." ?

Has a vaguely mobbish overtone. I like it.

Went to bed implies the baby did it on their own like they just waved good night, closed their bedroom door and popped themselves into the crib.

i think everybody understands that it does not work like this - so you don't have to pat yourself on the back every time you mention it

christine's sounds like a perfectly sensible compromise

unless you accidentally say "we put him to sleep"

it just sounds so.... arrogant! "my boy was a cryin and a wailin... so i had to put him down"

another shade of meaning for "to put down" is to insult. it's a very negative phrase!

i've been loving this conversation

I always assumed 'putting down' was a hangover from a time when mothers carried babies around when they were awake (so put them down for sleepytime). Whatever, this seems like a bit of a weird discussion, given that we all know what a strange thing the English language is.

no there is RIGHT and WRONG

so let's just agree, not to disagree exactly, but that i am right and everyone who thinks otherwise is wrong.

Went to bed implies the baby did it on their own like they just waved good night, closed their bedroom door and popped themselves into the crib.

i think everybody understands that it does not work like this

Ah, one time we were all "Amber's very quiet... " we went to see where she'd got to and found her in bed, fast asleep. She'd clearly decided she was sleepy and put herself to bed. She was 18 months old at this point.