Does Your Child Need A Bedtime Routine? - Yes!

Do you struggle to get your child to bed at night? We sure did with our daughter. She would refuse to go to sleep in her bed and wanted to hang out with us until we were ready for bed and of course then she would want to sleep in Mama's and Daddy's bed.

That all changed when we finally sat down and established a bedtime routine. It helped our daughter establish healthy sleeping habits and got us back into ours. On top of it, we now have a little time to ourselves at night.

Maybe you have heard on TV or read in a parenting magazine that your child needs a bedtime routine. Or you are just plain tired of having to run to her room 20 times before she finally dozes off. For whatever reason you decided it's time to start setting up a bedtime routine. Where do you go from here? Obviously you are not going to change your child's habits from one day to the next. Consistency is going to be key, which is why we started by drawing up a basic little plan.

Take out a pen and a piece of paper and jot down the following:

How much sleep does your child need

What time does he/ she need to get up in the morning

What are his/her favorite calm activities (reading a book, taking a bath, cuddling with you, talking about your day, going for a stroll through the yard, putting on pj's)

From this list, come up with an action plan. Figure out when you need to put your child to bed to make sure she gets enough sleep. This will be your final goal. What time does she go to bed now? Plan on moving her bedtime back about 30 minutes every few days to give her some time to adjust in between.

Pick a few of her favorite calm activities and spend about 30 to 40 minutes on those while also getting her in her pj's, teeth brushed and off to bed.

Expect some initial resistance to the new routine. Kids can be pretty creative when it comes to excuses why they can't possibly go to sleep just yet. My little sister once insisted that her doll just had to blow her nose. Try to anticipate those excuses and last minute requests and make them part of the bedtime routine. If you know your child is going to ask for a sip of water, keep a glass on her night table. Make other requests part of your bedtime routine. If she usually asks to say goodnight to the family pet, have her do that before you put her in her PJ's and tuck her in.

Another good tip is to give her choices in the routine. It is usually best to limit those choices to 2 or 3. Ask her if she would like to take a bath or a shower, if she wants Mom or Dad to tuck her in, if she wants you to read "Goodnight Moon" or "The hungry little caterpillar". Let her pick the red or yellow pj's. Only give her options that you can live with. That way you both win. She feels like she is having some control over her life and you get her to do what needs done.

Above all stay calm and patient. Getting to sleep is a hard task to master for a child. She needs your help to establish healthy sleeping patters. If she keeps getting up for the next few nights, put her gently but firmly back to bed and tell her that it is time to sleep. Offer to come back and check on her in a few minutes and follow through. It will make her feel more secure and chances are she'll be sound asleep by the time you walk back in there.

Susanne Myers is the founder of http://www.kinderinfo.com, the one-stop online children's resource center. Here you will find all kinds of answers to help you with your family, including information on child care options and locations, educational resources, sports and recreation, home-based activities, party and event planning, even quick and easy recipes. We seek to answer all kid-related questions!

---

Beginning the Special Education Process

Like anything else in life, there's a method to the... Read More

Resilient, Confident Kids - 10 Ways to Promote Resilience in Children

Do your children have a McChildhood? Do they experience the... Read More

Ten Tips for a Great First Day of School!

Many children are jittery on the first day of school.... Read More

Is Your Child Ready For an Allowance?

Children think money grows on trees. Maybe not literally, but... Read More

How Illiteracy Can Ruin Your Childs Life

It may seem obvious to many people why literacy is... Read More

How to Parent Your Teen Effectively

Maintain CommunicationEven though teens need to separate from their parents... Read More

Growing Good People

At age seven months in the womb, humans begin language... Read More

When A Parent Is Deployed

When a parent is deployed with the military it can... Read More

Signs of Child Sexual Abuse

Many families do not want to believe their child is... Read More

Teenagers and Trouble - How Parents Can Keep their Teens Out of Trouble

Teenagers are a work-in-progress, and parenting teenagers can be tricky... Read More

Top Ten Things Parents Must Know About State Academic Standards (What Your Child s/b Learning)

Public education in the United States has never been equal... Read More

Marriage, Divorce, and Kids

Are men to blame for the divorce problem in this... Read More

Guerilla Parenting Techniques: What Are They?

When you hear the phrase, 'guerrilla parenting techniques', what images... Read More

The Graceful Art of Defrazzling - For Mothers

"I wipe my baby's chin with my college diploma and... Read More

Parenting - Give Your Child The Tools To Build Strong Character And Values

There are many parenting styles. Yours may be very different... Read More

Mom, Dad and the Big Brother

Software for parental control is a useful tool, if applied... Read More

Are You Addicted to Your Children?

Is it possible to be using our children addictively?Anything that... Read More

Parenting Your Teenager: Self-Decorating or Self-Harm - How to Tell the Difference

Q. I need your help with a question about my... Read More

The ADD Child: Challenging Parents, Teachers and Friends

The ADD child exhibits a series of behaviors that are... Read More

Parenting Your Teenager: The Bottom Line Issues

Q. When you consult with a family with teens, what... Read More

Send the Kids Outside!

Think back to your own childhood. Chances are, some of... Read More

How To Entertain A Child While Working From A Home Office

There is no doubt that the benefits of being a... Read More

Strategies to Help Boost Your Childs Self Esteem

Self esteem in an important quality for all children to... Read More

Intro to Medications for ADD ADHD

The most common medications used in the treatment of Attention... Read More

Twelve Tips To Connect With Teachers At Conference Time

It's that time again! Parent-teacher conferences are coming. Are you... Read More

How To Live With Your Teenagers Untidy Room

'Whose room is it anyway?'If you have a teenager, you're... Read More

Unschooling - the Benefits of Home Based Education

Home schooling benefits children. As a parent, I feel it... Read More

Spelling Games

The following spelling games can be used by parents to... Read More

Diagnosing ADHD in Your Child, an Introduction

Everyone in a private practice setting who works with children... Read More

Parenting Your Teenager: Teens and Violence

I have a bit of a different response than most... Read More

Discipline on My Mind

I look out of the window as I am writing... Read More

What Parents Should Do For Children To Do Their Best After Divorce?

Why do some children still do best after divorce and... Read More

Parents - Create An Emotionally Healthy Connection With Your Child

"I could have helped you if I would have known,... Read More