Does the word “bedtime” send your kids into a frenzy? Do you find yourself chasing them around the house, yelling at them to brush their teeth, or trying to ignore your toddler who’s screaming at the top of their lungs in their beds? Chances are every mom has been there a time or two. If you thought sleep deprivation was only something that happened to parents of newborns, unfortunately, that just isn’t so. Fortunately, many moms have been able to use tricks and techniques that have helped their kids to sleep peacefully through the night.
Set a Time for Bed
Bedtime needs to be the same time every night in order to develop a routine for your children. Though there are going to be days when you’re running a bit behind, you want to try to put them to sleep at the same time each night. If you have children of varying ages, there’s nothing wrong with setting different bedtimes for each.
Create a Routine
Schedules and routines provide structure for younger children. If your idea of getting the kids ready for bed is yelling out, “Alright, time to go to sleep”, chances are you’re not going to get very far. It is best to create a routine that includes finishing up dinner or dessert, taking a bath, brushing their teeth, and climbing into bed at the appropriate time. You may have to monitor the little ones to make sure they’re following through, however, a few weeks of the same routine sends the message that it’s night-night time without you having to yell it.
Consider Co-Sleeping
Though there are a lot of debates about whether or not you should allow your children to sleep in the bed with you, there are some benefits to co-sleeping. You’ll need to go shopping for The Family Bed to make sure that it can accommodate you and your children. Still, sticking to the same bedtime and routine, you may find that your kids find comfort and feel better about sleeping with mom and dad on occasion.
Make Sure They’re Comfortable
If your children have bedroom sets with fancy fabrics or PJs with a bunch of lace, buttons, and other uncomfortable materials on them, this could be a big factor in why they’re not sleeping. Although those types of things are cute and may match the decorative theme in the bedroom, it is imperative to make sure that they have something comfortable to sleep in and on. Remove any cumbersome bedspreads, throw pillows or stuffed animals from the bed. Also, make sure that they’re dressed in pajamas made from soothing fabrics like cotton.
Limit Distractions
It’s understandable that you’re probably not going to go to sleep at the same time your children do. If you have older children, they too may have later bedtimes. Though you shouldn’t have to tiptoe around your own home to keep from waking the kids up, you do want to minimize distractions in and around their rooms. This means that you need to dim or turn off the lights, turn off the television, and try to keep their siblings from roughhousing near their room.
Read a Bedtime Story
Bedtime stories are a great way to connect with your kids before bed. It also helps to calm them down after a long day. Try to make time to read to them for a few minutes each night. You’ll want to choose books that have happy endings for younger children as you don’t want them to have nightmares or trouble falling asleep.
Have a Wind-Down Time
An hour or so before bed, you should start to help your kids wind down. If they’re like most children, they’re bouncing around full of energy and ready to play. This can often make it difficult for them to get to and then stay asleep. During the wind-down period, you can sit and watch a family-friendly television show together, read a book, or just enjoy quiet time snuggling with one another.
If getting your kids to sleep at night has become a challenge, there are things you can do about it. Whether they don’t want to sleep in their own beds, are too riled up, or simply haven’t been required to follow a routine in the past, these tips should help change all of that. Remember to be patient as it can take some time. However, before you know it, your entire house should be as quiet as a mouse during bedtime.
