6 Ways To Help Your Kids Get To Sleep

a sleeping baby
*Collaborative Post

Most parents go through the difficult phase of getting their little ones to drift off to sleep. While us adults can’t wait to crawl under the covers, most kids need a little more convincing. They develop newfound energy right before bedtime and you feel like they’ll never get to sleep. While some children are better at sleeping than others, there are ways to help your kids get to sleep. Here are some tried and tested tips.

Set the scene

When your kids are being wild and whacky before bedtime, it can be useful to create a sense of calm and relaxation in their bedrooms. This means getting rid of any clutter and dimming the lights (check out this great LED lighting for bedrooms). They may even respond well to soothing music or a lavender scent, which has been proven to enhance sleepiness. Sometimes, basic things like the sheets or covers makes a difference. Retails that specialize in comfort like Caden Lane got your back, if you’re curious.

Create a routine

Kids need routine and stability in their lives, especially surrounding mealtimes and bedtimes. If they’re going to bed at a different time every night, their body clocks won’t adjust and they won’t feel tired. So, make sure they have a regular bedtime. If they complain, reward their good behaviour and give them an incentive. Once they show they’re able to stick to their routine and go to bed peacefully, you can push it back.

Read them a story

Children love to hear stories, especially by their beloved parents. Bedtime can be exciting and fun if they look forward to you reading them a story in a compelling way. So, try to inspire this feeling. Make them look forward to going to bed because they’ll find out what happens next, or get to hear your funny Winnie-the-Pooh impression. Just try not to make it too exciting else they might not want to drift off!

reading a book to a toddler

 

A glass of milk

While you don’t want to give your children a big meal too close to bedtime, a glass of milk could help them to fall asleep. Milk contains an amino acid, which has been proven to have sleep-inducing qualities, and melatonin, a hormone that regulates the sleep-wake cycle. So, get into the habit of giving them a glass of milk before bedtime. It may just do the trick.

Eliminate any fears

Sometimes, your children might not sleep well because they are afraid of the dark or have convinced themselves there’s a monster hiding under the bed. While it’s great that your children have creative minds, it’s important not to indulge in these fears. Show them that there’s nothing there, and stay with them until they drift off, if need be. A night light will help with a fear of the dark, too.

A warm bath

We all enjoy a warm bath to iron out any stresses before bed. Your children are no different. A soothing bath could help to relax them and get them into a sleepy state before bedtime. So, pour in the bubbles and let the bath work its magic.

*This is a collaborative post. For further information please refer to my disclosure page.

If you enjoyed this post you can follow more of our life, opinions and antics over on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and Instagram. Plus feel free to come and join in with my parenting group ‘From One Parent to Another’ on Facebook.

If you’d like to contact me you can either leave me a comment or drop me a line via my contact me page.

For other topics similar to this one check out these suggestions below…

Related Posts:
Bath, book and bed?
baby asleep for bath book and bed campaign

Supernanny, Jo Frost is launching a new campaign to help the nation get their sleep with her bath, book and Read more

What Are the Top 10 Equipment-Free Fine Motor Activities for Kids?
child using fine motor skills

Fine motor activities play a crucial role in children's development, enhancing their ability to perform everyday tasks and laying the Read more

9 Things I Will Do Differently With My Second Baby
9 things I will do differently with baby number two

This may seem a little premature when I am only 16 weeks pregnant but there are a few things that Read more

Top Tips for Using Cloth Nappies from Newborn
cloth nappies in a drawer

Choosing cloth nappies for your newborn is a fantastic decision for both your baby's comfort and the environment. However, getting Read more

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *