Are your kids moody from lack of quality sleep? What time did your kid fall asleep? Did your children end up in your bed last night? Most parents have had issues with bedtime at one time or another. For families that are tired of the nightly fight towards bedtime, these tips are for you. If you’re struggling to get your kids to sleep better these are a few basic thoughts and ideas to try.
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Get Kids to Sleep Better
The thing to know about parenting – not every technique works the same for every kid or family. When it comes to positive parenting, every child is going to respond differently. That goes for diffusing temper tantrums, sleep patterns, potty training, or healthy eating.
If you’re trying to get kids to sleep better, try some of these ideas. Using all the tips consistently every single night can really make a difference. Yes, it can be hard to break bad habits like letting the kids watch TV until they fall asleep. But in the long run these are good adjustments that can help set up your child for a lifetime of healthy sleep habits.
Even as my kids get older I’m still trying to find ways to get kids to sleep better. I’m sharing the top ideas to help children be more well rested.
Create a Bedtime Routine
Sit down and write down your ideal bedtime routine. In your dream scenario, are the kids falling asleep before 8 pm, in their own beds and sleeping through the entire night without interruption? There’s no reason this can’t actually be made into fruition.
Jot down the details of the perfect sleep routine for your kids, then set about making this happen. Estimate how long the routine will take and figure out a timeline to get children to bed at your determined hour. The following steps can help lead your kids towards more restful sleep.
Winding Down
We’ve all heard the talk about electronic use before bed. Watching screens can definitely affect our sleep patterns. See how eliminating certain activities, including television, can help get kids to sleep better. As a benefit of eliminating the electronics, your kids will have quality one-on-one time with you. Here are a few things to do with children instead of video games or TV:
- Set aside story book time. Choose number of picture books or pages in a chapter book.
- Audio books are an engaging way for kids to relax.
- Quiet play together. Choose calm activities like a puzzle or modeling clay like Play-Doh.
- Non-messy crafts like coloring books or these reusable water play books.
Calming Steps Towards Sleep
A warm water bath can ease children towards rest. Keep bath toys simple by including only a few pouring cups. Adding a bubble bath with essential oils can help relax kids further.
After bath time, use of a lotion is not only beneficial to skin by towards relaxing muscles as well. When I give my kids a calm calf and foot rub, they love to chat about their day and I can sense them relax more deeply.
Choose the Best Sleepwear
It’s amazing how a good set of sleep wear can affect your sleep for the better! Same goes for kids too, so make sure that scratchy fabrics or itchy seams aren’t interrupting their rest.
I’m so glad we found Pact Dream Big Pajamas. Nothing uncomfortable here to disturb my kids’ sleep. The Dream Big Pajamas are tag-free, with a soft banded waistband and ankles. I’m sold on the high quality fabrics, easy washability and Earth’s Favorite™ Clothing in cozy organic cotton. I’m planning my first purchase on Pact for my own comfortable sleepwear!
Pact Dream Big Pajamas are available in sizes 18 months through kid’s size 10. Like the rest of the clothing on Pact, these pajamas are organic cotton and Fair Trade Certified. Just breathable, 100% organic cotton that is made without toxic chemicals and with 91% less water than conventional cotton.
I can’t say for sure if it was the jammies, but my daughter slept through the night in her own bed while wearing these Pact Dream Big pajamas! And my boy decided not to get changed in the morning, choosing to wear his comfy Dream Big pajamas during his school Zoom call.
Save 20% on your first Pact purchase at WearPact.com with promo code MomsMeet20. Offer is valid until 12/31/21. (Note: Offer valid on first purchases only. Does not apply to sale items. Cannot be combined with other offers.)
Set the Mood
In the time leading up to bed, set the stage for sleep. Here are a few ways to get kids to sleep better by setting the mood for relaxation:
- Dim the lights or turn them off completely. A cool night light can give kids something to look forward to in the dark.
- Choose relaxing music that plays softly in the background.
- Create a bed time routine that includes discussing the day as a way to reflect and converse openly together.
- Bedtime prayer is a way for kids to focus on thankful thoughts towards others.
Back to Bed
If you have a child that likes to bed-hop in the middle of the night, getting them back to bed nightly can be a challenge. My daughter tends to drift into my bed, so quietly that I often don’t realize she is there.
Many kids tend to get up and walk to their parents bed while still half asleep. I’ve found that gentle redirection while she’s still sleepy has worked. I return her back to her own bed, without any words or fanfare. At first there was protesting and I needed to lay down with her for a few minutes. But now, she just lays down on her own and returns to sleep.
Following all of the steps in this plan has worked well for my family. It’s a happier and more peaceful bedtime routine all around. And no more yelling before bed!