“But I’m not sleepy!” the tired five-year-old yells as he runs down the corridor, as far away from his bed as possible.
Sounds familiar?
There is more than one reason why children resist bedtime with such fierceness.
Being overtired, overstimulated, too awake, too busy, too curious, or simply just wanting to be with you.
Everyone’s nighttime routine is different, and after a busy day, this is not an easy task for mom or dad.
But one fact remains – you will either spend these 20 minutes rushed and stressed, or peaceful and nurturing.
Both options are hard, but the latter is certainly more rewarding.
How can you create a great bedtime routine your child looks forward to and willingly participates in?
- Include fun activities and to make sure you spend quality time with your child
- Start with reading or singing
- Ask about something special that happened during in their day
- End it off with hugs and kisses.
This will take time and effort from your side. But in the words of Elizabeth Pantley;
“…look at your child’s bedtime routine as a wonderful opportunity,
a slice of time out of your busy day
to bask in the joys of parenthood
and build the foundation for a close lifetime relationship.”
Tips:
- Allow them to pick a bedtime book.
- Read aloud with different voices and sound effects.
- Ask questions as you go: “What do you think will happen next?”
- Once done, allow a few more minutes to talk about the story.
Source: https://www.mother.ly/parenting/how-to-get-kids-to-sleep/