You can barely drag yourself out of bed in the mornings, but your child can’t seem to stay in hers throughout the night. One of the most frustrating struggles parents have to go through with a young child is getting them to go to bed – and stay in bed! Once freed from the crib and into a kids bed, children naturally want to explore any and everything they can. We’ve put together three tips to help your child go to bed – and stay there!
- Make your kids bed a fun place to be by playing up to their imagination and creativity. There are many options available when shopping for a kids bed. For a fun twist on the twin bed, try a bed in a fun shape, like a car bed. Your little one will fall fast asleep with visions of pit stops and checkered flags dancing in his head. By encouraging your child’s imagination, even at bedtime, you make their new bed a fun place to be.
- Provide the security of a routine. Children thrive when they can count on what comes next – bedtime is no exception. So, when it’s time to move your child on to a kids bed, keep their bedtime routine the same whether it includes a nice bath or a good book. If they can count on things to be the same, they may not be tempted to seek you out in the middle of the night.
- Bribery. Ok, maybe not all-out bribery, but giving your child an incentive to stay in their beds at night can pay off big time. Set up a weekly chart and place a sticker on each day your child sleeps in her own bed the entire night, with the incentive of a special treat at the end of the week. After a week, your child will be used to his own bed and won’t be tempted to visit yours!