MAKING BEDTIME SLEEP TIME... FOR EVERYONE

With a few exceptions, almost every young child (ages 3 to 10) goes through a phase of either refusing to go to bed or simply not sleeping through the night (including getting out of bed several times). While this can be frustrating for sleep-deprived parents, it is actually quite understandable. Put yourself in your child's place for a moment. In his or her mind, sleep means saying good-bye to everyone he or she loves, lying in bed in a dark room (perhaps alone) and not being able to do any of the fun stuff he or she enjoyed during the day. Even for a very tired child, all of that can often be a very scary prospect. So it's no wonder that many young kids try to hold out as long as they can, either before they actually go to bed or before they finally drift off to dreamland.

We’ve learned there’s a certain science to “teaching” kids the skill of going to bed, sleeping through the night and repeating that process every night. Since every child is different, it may take a long time or a short time for your child to master this skill, and you may have to adjust your approach and your instruction to get the desired results. However, once your child understands and starts consistently following a bedtime and a sleep pattern, everyone in your home will rest much easier at night.

The strategies and tips in this series work best for children ages 3 to 10. You can adjust them to fit your child’s age and developmental level.

SETTLE INTO A ROUTINE

One thing that has been proven to help kids get to sleep at the proper time is following a proper bedtime routine that promotes and encourages healthy sleep. Such a routine includes these elements: