Does every evening turn into a war with your kids? Tring to get them ready for bedtime and then actually sleeping? Most parents end up dreading bedtime and the more kids you have the harder it gets. If you are one of these parents, you do not stand alone, and hopefully, these tips and tricks for a smoother bedtime routine will help you!
The first thing to do is to pick an appropriate bedtime. This can’t be too early as otherwise, you’ll have children tossing and turning for hours before actually falling asleep but it also can’t be too late as otherwise, you’ll have overly tired children and as I’m sure you’ve once experienced is a nightmare. Calculate an adequate bedtime by taking into consideration how much sleep they need for their age and the time they wake up. Researching online or speaking to a pediatrician can really help you find out the amount of sleep needed for your little one.
Start winding down before bedtime. You can’t expect your children to instantly fall asleep once their heads hit the pillow. So, an hour before bedtime start preparing. Clean up toys to signal playtime is coming to an end, dim the lights, put on some relaxing music and let your children have a warm bath. All these things can really help set the sleepy mood. You also need to set the mood by being calm and relaxed. If you are stressing out or feeling all over the place, your kids will pick up on that and react to it. Calm yourself down, read them a book, and of course cuddle! There is never too much cuddling. It will also help strengthen the connection with your children in turn creating a calmer environment.
The last two things we want to mention are timing and consistency. If things are taking too long and you are running past bedtime because picking up toys took too long or a tantrum got in the way of usual bath time, we suggest using timers. These help you keep on track and if placed where children can view them, they will also help your children do things in a timely manner. Lastly, the key to bedtime is consistency! We cannot stress this enough. Children strive on routine and consistency so stick to the same plan every bedtime. That way children are mentally prepared.
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