You know the scenario well – once you announce it’s time for bed, your child starts to misbehave and act up.
Tantrums. A sudden outburst of excuses on why they “can’t” go to bed yet. And even worse, sometimes a downright war erupts in your home, leaving you feeling helpless to stop the chaos.
But by introducing a few simple tricks into your home, you can get your children to actually go to bed when its time, and get some cherished sleep yourself.
The first thing you need to do is determine why your child doesn’t want to go to bed.
Some parents assume their child is stubborn, and nothing can make them want to get ready for bedtime.
While this may be true for some children, other children may have a legitimate fear that needs addressing.
When children are young, often their imagination prevents them from wanting to sleep. Little kids are convinced they are in danger, whether it’s a monster hiding under their bed, or the bogeyman in their closet.
Take the time to soothe your child’s fears, by checking under the bed with them and talking through their worry.
If they are afraid of the dark, consider a small nightlight to help them see. A simple nightlight could ease their anxiety, and help them to sleep soundly.
Other children are light sleepers, and awake at the slightest disruptive noise. Try a white noise or sound machine to help your child sleep through the night.
Some parenting experts are convinced children are either sleepers or non-sleepers.
Parenting reported:
“Children come as sleepers or non-sleepers,” says Jodi Mindell Ph.D., author of Sleeping Through the Night – you’ll know which yours is by the time he’s old enough to try climbing out of the crib. And if you’ve got a non-sleeper, you may find he does his non-sleeping in different ways as he grows.”
While this may be true for some children, there are still ways to discover what is keeping them from being able to sleep.
There are children who are afraid of being away from mom and dad, even for a night.
Instead of always letting your child crawl into bed and sleep with you, help them to gain independence by sleeping in their own bed.
Assure them you are right down the hall, and even promise to check on them throughout the night.
Sometimes kids just want the attention and will call you into their room for every little thing, or just to talk.
It’s important you find the balance between being attentive, but teaching your child you are not free at their beckon call.
Make sure you wind down screen time at least an hour before bedtime. The blue light from iPad and cell phone screens is known to mess with the natural sleep rhythm
Finally, some kids simply like to rebel. They don’t want to sleep and will fight you tooth-and-nail against putting them to bed.
You must set firm boundaries with your children, and let them know bedtime is non-negotiable.
If children learn they can get away with staying up late every night, they will do it.
By taking the time to figure out what is holding your child back from sleeping, you may find the solution, which will allow your entire household to get some well-deserved sleep!
What are some tips you implement in your household to get your child to sleep better?
Do you have a favorite bedtime routine you follow each night?
Tell us your thoughts in the comments section below.