Create A Regular Bedtime Routine For Your Child

Going to bed should be a peaceful and pleasant end to the day, but unfortunately in many families it involves struggle and quarrel. However, a regular bedtime routine can turn every night into bed for the whole family to be a pleasant moment.

The child does not want to go to sleep

It is common for children not to want to go to sleep, and there are many reasons for this. The result is that the child resists going to bed and tries to delay it for as long as possible. This, in turn, can cause parents to lose their temper, in addition to running out of resources to get the child to obey.

For some children, the reason for opposing going to bed is fear. In the evening, the child is left alone in a dark and empty room, and he or she may feel insecure and begin to imagine various dangers. In some cases, excessive activity in the evening prevents the child from calming down at bedtime. Children are naturally active, energetic and curious, and they enjoy moving, staying busy and exploring things. This can make calming down and relaxing difficult.

It is also possible that a child simply wants to spend time with their parents. Many children spend their days in day care without seeing their parents, and it is understandable that in a situation like this, a child is reluctant to be separated from their parents at home.

Create a regular bedtime routine for your child

Parents should follow certain basic rules to help their child develop good sleeping habits.

• As a parent, it is your job to decide when the child will go to bed. To do this, it is important to know how many hours a child of any age needs to sleep.
• Try to make the time before bed as relaxed and peaceful as possible. For example, you should turn off various smart devices and the television two hours before bedtime.

• Try not to associate going to bed with negative things. Never send a child to bed as a punishment.
• Warn your child not to approach bedtime. Remind your child about 15 minutes in advance of the approaching bedtime. In this way, the child has time to finish what may have been pending.

Routines that are repeated every night at the same time and in the same way create a sense of continuity and permanence. It makes good for the child to know what happens after each activity and in what order things go.

Establishing a regular bedtime routine requires the following:

• Make sure the child goes to sleep and wakes up at the same time every day.
• Define the responsibilities and tasks that the child should take care of as part of the routine. These can include brushing your teeth and packing a school backpack for the next day.

• Allow your child to perform only peaceful activities before going to bed to help him or her relax.
• Remember physical contact and bring the child to bed.

Also, make sure that the space in which the child is sleeping supports sleep and sleep. Twilight lighting, pleasant temperature and possibly quiet music and a pleasant scent are a soothing combination.

Recommended activities as part of a bedtime routine

Below is a list of activities that are worth incorporating into your child’s bedtime routine. In addition to the mandatory assignments mentioned above, we recommend peaceful activities to be performed with the child in the evenings.

• Read fairy tales. All kids love stories. They make the imagination fly, in addition to which the undivided attention given to the child by the parent at the moment of reading the fairy tale makes the child feel important.
• Encourage positive thinking. This will help combat potential fears and develop an optimistic mindset. Before falling asleep, it is a good idea to briefly discuss the positive things that happened during the day.
• Help your child calm down and relax. If your child is having difficulty calming down at bedtime, simple relaxation exercises can be a big help. For example, you can rub your child’s back or stroke his or her hair while singing to him or her quietly. You can also ask the child to close their eyes and imagine descending the stairs. Guide the child with your voice step by step. At the lower end of the stairs is a room full of soft and comfortable pillows on which the child can sleep a peaceful sleep.