Bedtime
Hints
By Sandy Fleming
Bedtime can be a sticky
point for many households! From the children's point of
view, bedtime means stopping the fun and winding down for sleep.
In other
words, it's absolutely no fun at all. If this is a tough time
of day in your
house, know that you are not alone! Children and parents have
been battling
about bedtimes for a very long time. However, battles about bed
are not
necessarily a permanent part of your family life. You can minimize
bedtime
battles in several ways:
• Choose an appropriate
bedtime and stick to it as much as possible.
Children will adjust much better to a consistent routine rather
than an
unpredictable one. It's easy to fall into a habit of allowing
your child to
stay up late when there is no school the next day, and very easy
to allow
your toddler or preschooler to stay up and sleep much later the
next morning
than school schedules will allow. Plan ahead, and begin to shift
the child's
schedule several weeks or months before an upcoming change.
• Be careful about
what activities take place after supper. Some
children need quiet, restful activities before they try to go
to sleep. This
may not be the best time for wrestling, playing fast-paced games,
or any
other activity that your child finds exciting. Instead, try soothing
or
quiet activities such as reading, board games, watching a video,
or having a
warm bath.
• Develop a routine
that leads to bedtime. Toothbrushing, a snuggle
time, a story, a last drink of water, prayers, lullabies, and
a goodnight
kiss, all in the same order each night, are some ideas. Some
children also
enjoy soothing music when they first go to bed. You may want
to consider a
music box, a tape player with an automatic shut-off, or a radio
with
a "sleep" mode. Whatever things you put in the child's
routine, be sure they
are portable enough to travel when the child does, and that they
are not
dependent on any one particular person's presence. This will
help on
vacations and when another caregiver is putting the child to
bed.
• Expect your child
to stay in bed once he or she is put there. Very
little, except illness, nightmares, or bathroom needs, should
be reasons to
get up after bedtime. If your youngster is getting up on a regular
basis
after going to bed, you may be able to teach different behavior
by setting
up a reward the next morning for remaining in bed after bedtime.
Follow these simple suggestions
(being consistent, controlling activity
level, developing a routine, and expecting compliance) should
solve most
bedtime problems. Sweet dreams!
Sandy Fleming
is an educator, author and workshop facilitator. She resides
in southern Michigan with her husband and three daughters.
Sandy leads workshops for daycare providers and parents
in the region, tutors students, volunteers for Girl Scouts
and her church, and teaches online classes for adults and
children. She loves to make new friends, so please drop
her an e-mail at kids@busyparentsonline.com
