How many times have you scrambled through your tired brain for things to help your child sleep? And that’s just today! When nothing seems to work, looking for things to help your child sleep can feel as exhausting as not sleeping itself!
We have some refreshing tips to help you out – even if you think you’ve tried it all.
1. Create a Plan
By now you’ve probably read a hundred articles on the importance of creating a good bedtime routine. You know it. You’ve tried it. Your child still won’t sleep. So, let’s mix things up a little…
Instead of giving your child a bedtime ritual, ask your child for input in coming up with a plan together. Let them decide how many cuddles you will have and in what order they put on their pajamas, brush their teeth and say goodnight to family members. Think of your own evening routine. Even as an adult, there are probably things that you have personally chosen to do to unwind before bed.
Giving your child this little bit of control will allow them to identify their own settling needs which can make a huge difference in helping them to relax and fall asleep. Once you have agreed on a plan together, list the steps in sequence so everyone knows exactly what will happen every night.
2. Make Time for Each Other
Notice that your child suddenly becomes hungry or starts telling you about a conversation they had with their friend just as they’re about to hit the hay? Many kids become unsettled at bedtime because they are craving for more attention. Dedicating a few minutes to asking your child about their day or telling them what they have done to make you proud can be a nice little ritual before bed.
3. Weekends Don’t Matter!
You fight tooth and nail all week to try to get your kids to bed at a decent hour and then Friday night comes along and it’s like the clock no longer exists.
If you want your child to start sleeping well, do not relax bedtime routines at the weekend. A consistent bedtime offers predictability which helps children feel secure. Just because us grown-ups are happy to mess up our circadian rhythms by binge watching box sets until the small hours, it doesn’t mean our children should have to too.
4. Stay Positive
What emotions do you feel when your child wakes up for the fifth time in half hour? Frustration? Anger? Hopelessness? Constantly having to tell your child to go back to bed can leave you feeling about as positive as a squashed potato but punishing your kids for getting up is likely to backfire on you. If your child is a problem sleeper, the last thing you want to do is create negative associations with being in bed. Instead of punishing your children for waking up, reward them for staying in bed.
5. Train Their Brain
Practicing good “sleep hygiene” is one of the most crucial things to things to help your child sleep. Creating a solid sleep association with the bed and bedroom will make it easier for your child to fall asleep there. This means cleaning up toys and distractions before bedtime and making sure the bed and bedroom are used for resting. The more your child’s mind practices relaxing and falling asleep in a certain place, the easier it will become.
Of course, each of these tips works even better with our Time to Sleep Stories App that you can download for just 99p per month!
We will be back soon with more sleep help and advice so keep checking our blog and Facebook page!
