5 Tips To Make Sure That Your Kid Sleeps On Time

Out of the many challenges of being a first-time mom, one thing that I struggled the most with was setting a proper sleep routine for my little one. We all know how important it is for kids to sleep on time. Sound sleep helps in the proper growth of a child. Children who do not get enough sleep may have trouble functioning during the day. At night, they may find it hard to settle.

Once my little one was 4 months old, I started with a sleep routine and it hasn’t changed till now. She sleeps on time and wakes up happy for her school. Every child is different. Some sleep a lot and others much less. Preschoolers usually sleep about 10 to 13 hours a day. 3 years old usually takes one nap a day, but many will still have a second nap at some point in the day. Some days she may need a nap, while other days she may not. Some children give up daytime naps altogether during this period.

Here are a few things that I followed and it helped. If you too are now a mom who is struggling with a sleep routine for your little one then these tips might help:

• Setting up a sleep routine

My toddler loves bedtime stories. This love for stories started when we started with our bedtime routine. She was a year old when I introduced this routine. When it comes to children, having a routine is especially important. We, being the parents implement bedtime routines to get our little ones to stick to a consistent sleep schedule and it helps them continue this when they grow up. A warm bath, light-handed massage, and then a bedtime story is our daily night routine.

• Keep the bedroom cool and dark

This was told to me by my mother when I was exhausted with my 2-month-old newborn trying to make her sleep through the night. Make sure that the bedroom is at a soothing temperature and no lights. Block all the light coming into your child’s room while you’re working on helping her sleep later. Keep your baby’s days bright and his nights dark and he’ll quickly figure out when it’s time to sleep

• Avoid sugar or junk food at dinner

Avoid giving sugar at night. Too much fluid should also be avoided as well at least two hours before bedtime to prevent waking up at night. Eating sugar will make it harder for them to fall asleep. Don’t allow tablets, televisions, computers, or video games in the bedroom.

• Wear them out with physical activities

The big key to making kids more receptive to a regular bedtime is getting them to exert themselves during the day with games and activities. Active play that engages the gross motor skills of a child can help make them weary by the end of the day. If kids have had a full day of play and exertion, it won’t take parents very long to stay quiet until the kids are sound asleep.

• Don’t give up too soon

Like any habit, sleep habits need to be repeated to be effective. It also needs to send a clear message to kids about what behavior is expected of them. Set up a consistent, calming bedtime routine and then stick to it. I understand it won’t be easy in the starting but take it from the experience of this mama that it will work for sure.

One more trouble that I faced recently with my little ones’ routine was nightmares. Most children will experience nightmares at one time or another. Nightmares can happen after a stressful physical or emotional event or can be caused by fever. Your child may call out to you for comfort. Talk calmly, cuddle, and reassure your child.

Hope these will make night time routine for you and your baby smooth. What else do you follow, any tricks or tips you want to add to the list then don’t forget to add them in the comment section.

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