If you’re a parent who has struggled to put the toddler to sleep every night, you’re far from alone. Many parents of young children find bedtime to be a particularly challenging time, even if their kids are otherwise well-behaved. Toddlers may be fidgety or boisterous at bedtime, and may insist on staying up, reading another story or getting a glass of water before going to sleep. However, you may be able to lessen some of those occurrences by establishing a regular toddler bedtime routine. If you’ve given your child warm milk, iron drops and read bedtime stories, these tips could help you find a better bedtime regimen for your little one.
What To Do Before Tucking Your Child in Bed
If you’ve decided to try sleep training, you may already have a mini bedtime ritual. However, if you want your child to have the best possible shot at falling asleep quickly and staying asleep, there are a few extra steps you may want to take care of before you tuck your child into bed. You may wish to:
- Make sure your child’s sleeping environment is at a cool, pleasant temperature, is clean, is dark enough and is adequately comfortable to ensure a good night’s rest;
- Walk your child through a nightly routine, such as reading a book aloud, taking a warm bath or drinking some milk with honey, that signals to him or her that it’s bedtime;
- Give your child ample opportunities to get his or her energy out earlier in the day, and try to avoid long daytime naps, in order to make falling asleep quickly at night easier.
Ensuring Your Child Gets A Restful Night’s Sleep
Making sure your child gets a truly refreshing night’s sleep could come down to supplementing with treatments such as Wellements nighttime cough syrup when necessary and making a few key adjustments. To help your child sleep better, you should:
- Turn off the television and any other screens your child may be exposed to at least two hours prior to bedtime to avoid blue light exposure that could harm his or her natural circadian cycle;
- Avoid giving your child too much food or drink right before bedtime to avoid constant bathroom interruptions during the night;
- Keep your child’s sleep routine as regular as possible, with about the same bedtime and wake-up time every day;
- Allow your child to find enjoyable ways to relax and wind down for bedtime towards the end of the day;
- Reassure your child that his or her bedtime fears of monsters under the bed won’t actually happen, address the issue and avoid delaying bedtime too much due to these fears;
- Teach your child slow breathing exercises that can help him or her wind down and prepare for good sleep.
When it comes to successfully putting your toddler down to sleep around the same time every night, establishing a consistent bedtime routine is the key. By following these tips before tucking your child into bed, you may be able to help him or her fall asleep faster and get a better night’s rest.
