A Better Night’s Sleep Series: Helping Your Kids Sleep

Once you have children you may feel that you will never get a better night’s sleep again. This is not true. You may need to go through a few bad nights but eventually you can get your kids to sleep better so you can get a better night’s sleep too. Here are a few ideas you can use to get your kids to sleep better.

Bedtime is one place that a routine is very beneficial, both for your kids and for you. Establish a good bedtime routine with a set time to get in bed. The most common time for kids to get to bed is about 8 PM. Once you have the time they need to be in bed you should start the bedtime ritual about thirty minutes before the bedtime. The bedtime ritual lets your kids know that it is time to settle down for the night and that bedtime is fast approaching. Some things you can add to the bedtime ritual include:

· Nightly bath, to relax your kids and get them clean after a long day of playing.
· Nightly book reading to help your kids calm down and start to relax.
· Brushing of teeth and one last drink.
· Take your kids to bed and tuck them in.

Bath time helps children relax before bed.

The bedtime ritual should be the same every night and at the same time when you are trying to get your kids into the habit. The more consistent you are the better they will respond to falling asleep and even staying asleep on their own.

Another way to get your kids to sleep better so you can get a better night’s sleep is to cut back on television time before bed. Don’t let your kids watch television an hour or so before bed. The television can get their minds running and make it hard for them to settle down for the night. Having the television on can also become a distraction for your kids from getting ready for bed like they should be. The best bet is to turn off the television about a half hour before the bedtime ritual and start getting ready for bed.

If your kids wake up in the middle of the night and it is preventing you from getting a better night’s sleep there are things you can do to help your kids stay in their beds and fall back asleep on their own. When your kids wake up in the middle of the night they need to learn how to comfort themselves and fall back to sleep on their own without calling for you or crawling into your bed. Here are some suggestions for getting your kids to stay in bed:

· Don’t get your kids right away when they start to cry. Give them a chance to fall back asleep on their own.

· Walk your kids back to their bed when they try to crawl into your bed. Don’t talk to them and let them know that you mean business. Engaging your kids in conversation gives them an excuse to keep talking and they may never fall back asleep.

· Keep the hallways and bathrooms dark. You can use nightlights so that your kids can find their way but you don’t want them to turn on the bright lights which could wake them up.

Getting your kids to sleep better so you can get a better night’s sleep may take a few nights. Your kids and you will need to start a bedtime ritual with a set time. This helps your kids know when bedtime is approaching even when they can’t tell time. Help your child relax and learn how to comfort themselves back to sleep and you will be well on your way to a better night’s sleep.