Sleep is absolutely vital to everyday life. Often times, we forget how important sleep is, until the little ones keep us up all night!. Our job as parents is to teach our kids how to sleep well. A good night’s rest allows for steady growth, mental development, and helps to keep them focused throughout the day. But sometimes, getting the kids to bed can be a challenge. In reality, some children need more help going to sleep than others. Thankfully, we discovered some of our favorite techniques on developing a successful sleeper! So now you overly tired parents can get a few more zzz’s at night. Before we dive in to the two methods that will get your kids to sleep, we want to discuss setting them up for success before you even get started implementing these techniques.
Think about what exactly it is that you need to get a good night’s sleep. Do you go to bed on an empty stomach or in a bright room with too many lights on? Probably not, and your child shouldn’t either.
Here is a helpful checklist for you to check off before using sleep techniques:
- Your child has a full stomach.
- Your child is sleeping in a dark room (using a dim night light is acceptable).
- You are limiting your child’s screen time, especially within an hour before bedtime to avoid overstimulation.
- You are using sensory sleep tricks to aid in falling asleep, such as being rocked to sleep, white noise, warmth, deep pressure, or visual stimulation (lava lamp, fish tank, etc.).
Another great way to calm your child before bed is to have a consistent bedtime routine every night. This includes bathtime, brushing teeth, going potty, reading a book or singing a song, and, of course, going to sleep. A steady routine helps kids feel safe and also helps give their body cues that it is time to rest and go to sleep. Every child needs 9-13 hours of sleep per night which usually means meeting an earlier bedtime at the same time every night is important. You can’t force your little person to sleep, but you can give them an ideal sleeping environment to help them get the rest they need.
In the next part of our sleep series, we will discuss the two methods we use to help get kids to sleep. Although these tips are super helpful and will get you going in the right direction, there is SO much more that goes into helping your family get the most optimal sleep. Our Behavior Consultation team of certified and trained professionals are here to help answer your questions and give you a personalized consultation. Please call us at 510-894-4135 or visit us at www.discover-hope.com to learn more about the services we offer and to start getting more sleep today! Our team of experts are focused on helping individuals, couples, and families become healthier and happier in everyday living. Life today is more challenging than ever, but it doesn’t have to be!