How Do You Establish A Bedtime Routine?
One of the most important things you can do for your baby, toddler or school aged child is establish a bedtime routine. No matter the child’s age, they will benefit from a regular schedule that helps ease them into sleep rather than fight to get them to bed. The earlier you start the better; but it’s never too late to establish a bedtime routine. Read on to learn more. Decide what time you want your child to go to bed. This is true even for a young baby who is not yet sleeping through the night. Base this decision on the age of the child and how much sleep is recommended for that age. Determine how much time it takes you to go through your routine, and begin well before you want your child to be asleep. Use positive and strong word choices like, “Mikey, it’s time to get ready for bed.” Stay away from ambiguous terms and questions like, “Mikey are you tired? Do you want to go to bed now?” No child, if given the choice, wants to go to bed. Don’t open the door for discussion. Give your ch
