Does your child sleep through the night? Most children don’t because they haven’t learned how. Parents usually worry more about a child’s sleep patterns when they are babies but a good night’s sleep is super important for big kids. I’m a stickler for a good night’s sleep. Good sleep patterns start young. A good night’s rest helps children physical and mental development. My son’s pediatrician told me that at his age (8 years old) my son should be getting between 10-13 hours of sleep a night. I make sure of this. My son is a good sleeper and I want to share some tips on how I was able to get him to sleep well through the night.
1. Establish a bedtime and wake up time. My son goes to bed at 8:30 pm and wakes up at 7:00am. This has been the routine for the past 3 years or so. Sure there are nights he stays up late but I don’t allow it much since he starts getting extremely cranky and whiny. On the nights he does go to sleep later than 8:30pm (usually on a weekend), I make sure he gets some extra sleep in the morning.
2. No big meals before bed. I try to serve dinner at least 2 hours before bedtime so no one goes to sleep on a full stomach. That is extremely uncomfortable and an upset stomach will keep anyone up at night.
3. Create a routine that you practice every night, if possible. My son bathes right before bed. Around 8pm, he stops playing with toys or watching TV and heads upstairs to shower and get in pajamas. Then we read a book and it’s lights out at 8:30p.m.
4. Make sure your child is comfortable. Clothes should not restrict movement and make sure the room temperature isn’t too hot or too cold.
5. If your child comes out of their room, walk them back in, say good night and lights out. Gently but firmly remind them that it’s bedtime and walk away.
6. Overcome their worries. If your child is scared of the dark, put in a night light. If your child is scared of monsters, give them a bottle of “monster spray.” Give them a stuffed animal to “hug” so they don’t feel alone.
7. Get kids active during the day. The more active a child is, the better they sleep at night. Kids have TONS of energy that needs to be released so try your best to get them to release that energy during the day.
8. Stay consistent. Keeping to the routine helps children sleep better. If you are out one night, make sure the sitter continues your same routine at the same time. It’s OK to skip out one day but no more than that. Your child needs to know that you take sleep seriously.
The earlier you start to set up a bedtime routine for your children, the better they will sleep. My step-children do not have a bedtime routine and they are horrible sleepers. They never get more than 6 or 7 hours of sleep, usually have bags under their eyes and are always tired. They have learned the bedtime routines that my son follows and they try to follow it when they sleep over but it’s not easy for them. Start a bedtime routine for your children today and I know they will thank you for it one day!
