What is guaranteed to drive your toddler crazy? Four little words, “It’s time to go to bed”! These words are enough to turn any young child into an argumentative little being. If you’re a parent whose toddler isn’t sleeping, you know what I’m talking about. So what can you do to get that child to bed? Instead of standing around pulling your hair, I have six helpful tips to offer to get any toddler into bedtime mode. All of these tips have been tested and proven to work, however, not all of them will work on all young children.
1. Keep your toddler busy while he’s awake. Parents with young children know that they have a lot of energy. Take your toddler to a playground or let him run around the yard so he can burn off that excess energy. Do you remember when you were a child, you did not love to play outside?
2. For rainy days, keep him busy with toys inside. Give her a variety of toys so she doesn’t get bored, and remember that mental activity can be just as tiring as physical activity.
3. Whatever you do, you want to make sure you pick a realistic bedtime. Children are like adults, they have different sleep patterns. Some are early risers, while others are night owls. While you will be able to control this to some extent, it will be worth it to fit in with your child and consider pushing back bedtime if he is still awake at 7 p.m. On the other hand, if he is too tired to eat dinner, move both meal and bedtime forward. lie down to accommodate him. Doing this will save you a lot of arguing and stress!
4. Naps during the day can also affect your child’s sleep at night. If bedtime is a constant battle, try cutting back or shortening your naps during the day.
5. If your toddler doesn’t usually nap during the day, then ask him to have a quiet rest period, which will refresh and revitalize him until bedtime.
6. Have a bedtime routine and stick to it! It’s very easy to get off track, so this may take a bit of effort at first. Start the routine immediately after dinner and stick to it. If, despite trying this routine for a few weeks, your child still finds it impossible to lie down, a glass of warm milk may do the trick. Under no circumstances give your child any kind of sleep medication, no matter how mild. It will always lead to more sleeping problems in the future.
I hope these tips are helpful when your child is sleep deprived. Long story short, lots of activity during the day will ensure that your toddler is ready for bed at bedtime. As a bonus, all that activity is also good for your health. Now here’s an additional safety tip; If your child is a sleepwalker or tends to wander at night, simply place a bell on the bedroom door.
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