Countless homes in America face this every evening with their children. How often have heard the frustrated cry of parents everywhere? “My children just hate going to bed” “It’s a battle every night and we are exhausted!”Have a conversation with your child as to why they don’t like bedtime. Look for signs that might give you a clue. Did something happen during the day that might have upset them? Are they worried about something? Are they afraid of the “monster under the bed”? Sometimes it’s just about creating a positive routine. Here are some suggestions that might help and certainly worth try.
- Give children a 5 minute warning before you want them to start getting ready for bed.
- Create a routine around bedtime so they know what to expect. Children like and respond well to familiar routines. What is your process of getting them ready for bed?
- Make sure they have a snack before they get into bed. This avoids the need to come back out of their rooms after they are settled into bed.
- Washing their face and brushing their teeth should occur right before they hop into bed.
- Reading to them before they go to bed provides an activity that you can do together. This is a great cuddle time. A funny or silly story will be welcoming and will put them in a happy mood as they drift off to sleep.
The more relaxed you are, the more relaxed your child will be. If you begin to see bedtime as a routine that you look forward to, because it is fun and enjoyable, chances are your child will begin to feel that way too. No one said parenting was going to be easy but hopefully these tips will help ease the bedtime routine.
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