How to Make Sure Your Kids Sleep Well at Home
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It can be a challenge to help your kids sleep well anywhere, never mind at home, where there are tons of distractions. Fortunately, you can develop a solid strategy for making sure they get sleepy at night and sleep most of the time soundly. Here are some tips to get you started.
Work with them on Fears
Children feel fears and anxiety just like adults do. Of course, the fears of kids might seem trivial. But to them, they are very real, which is why night terrors in toddlers are pretty common. These can be caused by nightmares, a stressful environment, or child phobias such as the classic "monster under the bed." You can help by doing the pre-bedtime check, like spraying the monster and checking the closet. But there might also be underlying stresses at home as well.
Help Your Kids Sleep Well with a Routine
Everyone benefits from a good routine. But babies, toddlers, and preschoolers need routines even more than older kids. After a healthy family dinner, the rest of the evening should be spent playing lightly, taking care of oneself, and reading a bedtime story. Set up the perfect bedtime atmosphere to create a routine that is soothing and relaxing. Before long, your child's body may start to get tired at the start of the schedule without him or her having to try to get to sleep.
Do Something Relaxing Before Bed
It's important to let your mind calm down before bed. So, tell your child to calm down before bed. Older kids might like to read a book, listen to soft music, or just focus on their breathing to calm down. If it takes your child a little longer to drift off to sleep, they may require additional time to calm down before you turn out the lights. It's important not to do this so quickly. So, try reading them a story until they eventually drift off, but be careful about them relying on this.
Make the Kids' Rooms Sleepy Zones
Most people, including kids, need good conditions to sleep well. This means having soft bedding, darkness, and a silent place to sleep. Your child will be able to tell the difference between morning and night, which will make it easier for him or her to fall asleep. Creating an environment that helps them sleep is important because it helps them get ready for sleep by getting rid of distractions. Then they will need less help from their parents during the night.
Set a "No-Go" List Before Bedtime
There are many things that can cause sleep patterns to become interrupted and disturbed. Barring an actual sleep condition, you can work towards healthier sleep patterns by cutting down or banning some activities an hour before your child's sleep time. These include:
Playing video games consoles such as Xbox and PlayStation.
Watching TV, especially if it's in the bedroom.
Using smartphones and tablets to cut down social anxiety and blue light.
Playing with toys and board games that keep the kids excited.
Eating sugary snacks and having fizzy drinks an hour before bed.
Reading creepy books that might cause nightmares.
Intense fun activities such as pillow fighting.
It can be a challenge to get the kids to sleep on the best of days. So you must include the things on this list to help you. It might take some time, but gradually cutting all of these will go a long way toward developing a healthy and rewarding acceptance of getting enough sleep.
Make it a Rewarding Experience
Children respond very well to praise and encouragement. You can make the kids' bedtime routine fun by giving them a reward when they follow it. For example, you can use a scorecard and give them a special treat or something they love, like more time playing video games, if they stay up for seven nights in a row. But only say good things and don't punish them if they wake up at night or take longer to fall asleep. This can make it hard to fall asleep and dislike bedtime.
Pay Attention to their Diet
Ensure that your child has a filling dinner at a reasonable time. This can be hard to do, but it's important. If your child is starving or too filled before bed, he or she might be more alert or feel bad. This can make it harder for them to fall asleep. Also, a healthy breakfast in the morning helps your child's body clock get going at the right time. Also, don't let them eat sweets, chocolate, or drinks with sugar in them at least an hour or two before their bedtime.
Meditation Can Help Your Kids Sleep Well
Meditation and other ways to calm down can help kids, just like they can help adults. You can help your children unwind with soothing music and a soothing voice. A good technique is a "body scan," in which you tell them to relax their body from their toes up. You can also try other helpful techniques, such as visualizing and breathing exercises. These can help your kids feel less anxious and help them calm down enough to feel sleepy. This can also help you out.
Remember, It's an Ongoing Process
You have to teach your kids to sleep until they are about four years old. This means putting them back to sleep if they wake up too early. And making them feel better when they have bad dreams. Even if you've tried everything and they still can't sleep, don't give up. Try to take a step back and think about what could be going on. As children reach a new developmental milestone, they sometimes regress, which can cause disruptions to their sleep patterns.
Summary
For your own sanity and energy levels, it pays to help your kids sleep well at home. If you have never had a solid routine, it can be a challenge to start one. However, you can easily begin. Start by addressing their fears, ban things like playing video games before bedtime.