Sleep has a significant impact on the physical health, behavior, and memory of an individual. According to various studies, sleep is an essential part of a healthy lifestyle. While still having that in mind, parents have a tough time getting their kids to go to bed. Sleep deprivation for kids has consequences such as irritability and stress, difficulty in concentration, and the chances of being overweight are high too.
As a mom, you are tasked with ensuring good health and happiness for your kids. Apart from taking them to an amusement park, the other best thing that you can probably do for them is to ensure that they get quality sleep. Routine is one lifehack that can also simplify the responsibility of raising kids, especially when it comes to ensuring they get a good night’s sleep. Making a bedtime routine will be instrumental in helping your kids get adequate sleep.
Here is what you need to do to make bedtime easier for the kids that won’t go to bed or even stay in it.
Establish the Amount of Sleep Time Your Family Needs
According to The American Academy of Paediatrics, kids aged 1-5 years should not be getting anything less than 13 hours of sleep. Children aged 6-12 years on the other hand, can work with 9-12 hours. As much as there is an emphasis on getting to bed early, it is always very easy to default. With the knowledge on how much time of sleep your kids need, you should be able to come up with a schedule that works for them.
Also, it is essential to let your family make their contribution to this. The routine will be a success if you all work as a team. If possible, ask your kids the time they will be comfortable going to bed. That way, you will make your family zen about bedtime.
Come Up with a Pre-Bed Routine
Research shows that children are active learners, and most of their behavior is derived from the exploration of patterns. Once you have set a specific bedtime, the next thing you should do is to find ways that will help you prepare your kids for bedtime. This should be taking place about an hour or 30 minutes before the decided time.
A few hints to tell your kids that bedtime is approaching will help. This could be anything from dimming the lights, turning off the TV, or even cleaning up or organization of their playroom. Most moms do it different with the older kids. They use this time to bond with their kids and ask about how their days were. The moment these activities become a routine; going to bed during the scheduled time will not be hard.
Turn Off the Lights
Once the kids manage to get into bed successfully, you need to also come up with a routine that will make them comfortable with the idea of sleeping. Effective get-in bed routines include cuddling and massaging. With that, the chances of your child getting out of their bed once you turn off the lights will be lowered.
A calming atmosphere will make lights out time very easy for you.
Be Consistent
This could not be emphasized more. Remember that kids thrive on consistency. Adjusting to a particular routine is not something that will happen overnight. The same applies in the case of scheduled bedtime. At first, it can prove to be challenging as your kids will likely cling on their previous sleeping habits. However, with time, you will be able to tune their internal clocks to the new schedule.
Do not get weary; instead, practice it every day until it becomes a part of your family routine that cannot easily be done away with. With time, getting your kids to bed will become an enjoyable way to wind up your day.
Have Your Bedtime Routine
Remember that a bedtime routine is a family affair. Sleep is also essential for grown-ups. You need to create a routine of your own. It doesn’t have to be similar to your kids’. Adequate sleep for you will give you the energy to face a new day and also serve your family better.
While creating a sleep time routine for your family, you need to be realistic. Failure to do so will only end up with a frustrating bedtime routine that no one will be happy about. Also, be firm with your expectations on bedtime to instill the discipline in your kids to follow through. Note that kids take a lot from their parents. Having your bedtime schedule will encourage your kids to have their own. Make your kids understand that sleep is a good thing, and getting your kids to get to bed will no longer be challenging.
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