Try these ideas out to see if bedtime struggles can be laid to rest!
- Anticipate nightly needs before they get out of bed like bathroom needs, drink of water
- Go to bed around the same time. This trains the body to prepare its sleepy time hormones to begin flooding the body automatically
- Eliminate noise, light, distractions, and technology use before bedtime, dim the lights and talk low. Make it dull and under stimulating at home.
- Use low stimulation activities to tone energy down like reading, or bath time
- Redirect back to bed but do not cuddle, have your child learn to self sooth
- Eliminate or taper down visiting them ( 1-2 minutes or less) when they beckon you into their room
- Use a favorite sleeping item, stuffed animal, toy, blanket to help your child feel safe
- Use soothing music, white noise or a fan
- Reduce or eliminate naps during the day
- Introduce a reward chart with stickers for positive reinforcement of good behavior
Once your child’s routine has been established and their environment altered, kids can begin to lose the fight in them for bedtime and your nights can become a whole lot easier. Children will see consistency and anticipate their expectations.
Try this activity and have them model bed time with a stuffed animal. Dress the stuffed animal in pj’s ( baby onesie or other small clothing item), tuck the animal into a pillow case, and read to the child and the stuffed animal integrating them into the story. Modeling behavior for the child teaches them how to respond and behave. Seeing something other than themselves participate in the bedtime routine will help them see and do what is expected of them.
Happy Snoozin’!
Additional resources on sleep time routines can be found at the following links:
- The Spiral Foundation
- Lifewithasideoftheunexpected.com
- Evidence based practice on sensory integration with sleep routines (PDF)
- Hand out for bedtime routine reinforcement from the American Occupational Therapy Association
- A Mayo Clinic article – Child sleep: Put preschool bedtime problems to rest.