Does bedtime feel like a tug-of-war with your child? You can take some comfort in knowing you’re not alone. The battle over bedtime is a tale as old as time, and it’s caused countless parents a great deal of grief. But what if you could get your child excited about going to sleep? It may sound too good to be true, but it’s possible. Here are a few tricky ways to get your kids excited about bedtime.
Staying Active With Your Child
Staying active with your child during the day is a great way to help them expend extra energy, making them more sleepy at night. Playing at the park, taking a walk around the neighborhood, or going for an adventurous hike are all ways you can stay active with your child.
On days when you don’t have the time to engage in much physical activity with your child, get out active toys they can play with. Balls, jump ropes, skateboards, and frisbees are all fun toys that encourage physical movement. Playing with these toys can help your child feel energetic during the day, making them more likely to feel calm and tired when nighttime falls.
Making a Fun Bedtime Routine
Here are a few things you can do in the hours or minutes leading up to bedtime to turn an ordinarily dull nighttime routine into a fun and playful one.
- Tell stories of your childhood
- Ask your child to recount some of the best things that happened that day
- Use Wellements Organic Sleepy Time Spray to help calm your child before bed
- Have a tooth-brushing party with the entire family, complete with music and laughter
- Race to see who can put on pajamas first
These are just a few ideas for things you can do to help your child look forward to bedtime.
Go Screen-Free
It’s well-known that looking at electronic screens too close to bedtime can trick your mind into thinking it’s earlier in the day. It’s best to avoid stimulating blue light for at least an hour before you go to bed. To remind kids when it’s time to put away electronics, set a timer on your phone or clock that goes off an hour before bedtime every night.
You can also use a setting on each electronic device to automatically turn it off at a specific time. Explain that even though everyone needs to put away electronics for the day, that doesn’t mean you can’t have a great time in the final hour leading up to bedtime. Choose to use this last hour to turn the lights down in the house, read books, write in journals, and participate in other soothing activities.
Meditate With Your Child
Meditation is an excellent tool for inducing calmness and sleepiness. It’s not just for adults, either! Meditating with your child can be an enjoyable way to calm both nerves and help you get in the right mindset to enjoy a peaceful rest.
Get Your Child Into Bed 30 Minutes Early
It’s normal for children to require extra time to fall asleep. They often have difficulty calming their busy minds and drifting off to a peaceful slumber. To ensure your child gets the recommended hours of sleep each night, consider putting them to bed 30 minutes early. This will give them an extra half hour to wind down and fall asleep.
If you’ve always wished your child would fall asleep peacefully, don’t give up on your dreams just yet! Try the tips above to make bedtime painless and enjoyable for you and your child.