How To Prep Your Child For Bed Time?
jessica albert 
Image: iStock
If you have kids, you would have understood by now that getting them to sleep and waking them up are things that are more complicated than the tangles in your hair. Often, you may be wondering what you’re doing wrong or praying to God that your children sleep on time. Not getting enough sleep can make your kids cranky and it might affect their ability to concentrate on things. Also, they will probably feel tired and weak the whole day if they haven’t slept properly the night before. In the long run, not getting enough sleep can invite a lot more problems for your little ones.
So, how do you break the cycle of bad sleep? If you are clueless, here are a few tips that will help you in preparing your child for bedtime:
Healthy Family Bed Time
You cannot expect your kids to go to bed when the rest of the family is enjoying that late night movie in the drawing room. In order to cultivate a healthy habit in your child, you need to show them how it’s done and help them to follow it. Once your child is asleep, maybe you and your partner can enjoy the movie night- but first, at least pretend to go to bed at the same time.
Sleeping Disorders In Kids
Some children may go to bed early and wake up early without much trouble but some of them may wake up multiple times during their sleep. Also, some kids have breathing problems while they are asleep while some others snore or sleepwalk. These things can prevent your child from getting uninterrupted sleep at night, no matter how early they go to bed. The best way to deal with sleeping disorders is by approaching a sleep clinic or a doctor who can help.
The Delicious Dinner
We’ve always heard that it’s important to have dinner that’s light on your stomach. However, in the case of children, a light dinner may keep them awake at night due to hunger. Once you have your dinner early, give your kids a healthy snack like salad or crackers a few minutes prior to their bedtime. Make sure that the healthy snack is something that is light and can be digested by the body easily. This will keep your child away from hunger that will disrupt his/her sleep.
The Hugsie
If your child is not sleeping with you anymore, he/she may need a comforter. Keep your child’s favorite pillow or stuffed toy next to them so that they can hug them while they’re in bed. This provides them a sense of security once you leave the room. Make sure to use only soft objects for this purpose and always keep them clear of dust and dirt.
Temperature And Sleepwear
Dress your child for the bed according to the temperature in the room. Make sure it’s not too cold or too warm inside the room if you have an air conditioner. In case you don’t have an air conditioner and it’s summer, let your kid sleep in something loose and soft like cotton. If you live in a place that’s relatively cold and if it’s during the winters, dress your baby in something thicker but not too warm like woolen. Give them a sweater or blanket that’s warm so that they can just remove it in the middle of the night if they feel uncomfortable.
The Environment Of The Room
Make sure that the room is dark and silent. In case your kid is afraid of sleeping in the dark, use a night light that gives out a pleasant light that’s not too harsh on the eyes. Choose something like blue, yellow, or green color instead of a night light that’s red. Make sure that the rest of the family makes no noise if they are awake. Close the windows and curtains so that the outside environment doesn’t distract your kid’s sleep.
Try to follow all these prep tips and stick to a particular routine. Go to bed during a particular time and wake up early in the morning. Make sure you keep an hour extra in the bedtime slot so that your kid gets enough time to fall asleep and to wake up without being in a hurry.
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