Bedtime means a lot of different things in a mum’s world. For many, it’s a blissful time when you finally get some much-needed peace and quiet from your lively little one! For others, it’s the most dreaded part of the day as you struggle to pry your child away from their favourite cartoon, get up to bed and actually stay settled for the whole night. Creating a solid bedtime routine is something every parent needs to think about to prepare their child for a restful night’s sleep. For a helping hand, we’ve shared our top tips on creating the ultimate bedtime routine - you can thank us later!
Create a calming atmosphere early on
Start getting your little one ready for bedtime early on in the evening by creating a calm, relaxing atmosphere. Staring at a screen before bedtime has a stimulating effect on the brain that’s not ideal for getting a restful sleep, so make sure you help your child to unwind by limiting any form of technology, such as watching TV or playing on an iPad or mobile phone. Instead, schedule time for your child to read or draw, or even try your hand at teaching them some child-friendly yoga poses that are specially developed for bedtime.
Use gentle reminders
Get your child in the right frame of mind for bedtime by giving them small reminders throughout the night. This could be by letting them know it’s ten minutes till their bath and then reminding them of what’s coming next at each stage. Telling your child, in a calm tone, how long it is until they’re to put on their pyjamas or wash their face will maintain an organised, stress-free feel.
Set some pre-sleep signals
Brushing teeth before bed is obviously important for all of us, but aside from the health reasons, it can also help to establish a better nighttime routine. If your child gets used to brushing their teeth, washing their face and doing other bedtime rituals at a certain time each night, they’ll begin to see doing so as a signal that sleep is coming soon.
Read and reassure
Now comes the most important part of the night - getting your child to drift off! The first step to ensuring a sound slumber for your little one is by picking the perfect bed. A low sleeper cabin bed is a popular choice, being low enough to allow you to read a nighttime story with ease. Make sure the bedding used is appropriate for the time of year, sticking to cotton sheets and avoiding heavy layers during summer. Spend the next segment of the evening maintaining the calm atmosphere, chatting and connecting with your child in a quiet tone of voice. Talking through the day you’ve had and discussing what you’re going to do tomorrow will reassure your child and help to end the night on a positive note. If you’re reading a bedtime story, tell your child how many books you’re going to read beforehand to avoid them begging for more stories to be read.
Do you have any more tips on how to create the perfect night time routine? Let us know in the comments below!
No comments:
Post a Comment