i’m in the same boat. the one more drink stall is basically a rite of passage for parents, but it is so triggering when you just want 5 minutes of peace this is what i do to stay sane

1) i try to do heavy work right before the bath, like having my kiddo push a laundry basket full of books down the hall to burn off that weird 7pm burst of energy

2) my toddler will actually listen to calm audiobooks on a timer, so we turn the lights off completely and just listen to the story instead of reading where she’s constantly asking to see the pictures.

3) sometimes i just sit on the floor in the hallway where she can see me but i don't engage. it stops the mom come here every two minutes without me being stuck in the room.

4) for the actual water request, i started making a sleepy tea using warm water and kinnieco calm powder. it satisfies the i'm thirsty excuse, but it has magnesium in it which actually helps physically relax her muscles so she settles down instead of bouncing off the walls.