Children these days are staying up too late at night and getting way too little sleep as a result. In an ideal world, you’d be able to set your kid’s bedtime and have them comply, but in reality, it can be difficult to get your child to have a healthy bedtime without resorting to nagging or pleading.
Let's have a talk about family health! Try out these three tips to get your child to have a healthy bedtime, so that healthy sleep can follow.
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How to Get Your Child to Sleep at a Healthy Bedtime
Keep Your Child’s Bedtime Consistent
Consistency is key in getting your child to have healthy bedtime routines. Children, just like adults, are creatures of habit and if they know what to expect when they go to bed, they’ll be much more likely to fall asleep easily. If you want your children to go down at 8 pm each night instead of 7 pm one night and 10 pm another, make sure that you stick with that schedule every day and it will become ingrained for them.
Create a Routine that Works for You
Speaking of consistency, to make this stick, a routine is probably your best bet. Aim for an early bedtime—remember, it takes at least an hour for bodies to start getting sleepy. And make sure you’re giving your kids plenty of time for sleep; be realistic about how long it takes them to fall asleep and factor that into their schedule.
For example, if your family usually eats dinner between 6:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m., try eating dinner earlier—around 5:30 p.m.—so that bedtime can be around 8:00 or 8:30 (you might even have time for bath time). You might find yourself having fun as a family instead of battling over not being tired enough!
Set Up the Right Environment for Bedtime
In order for your child to fall asleep and stay asleep, they need to feel safe, comfortable, and secure. While adults might be able to push through discomfort in order to get sleep, children do not have that same resilience. It’s important that your child’s room be set up properly so they can drift off into dreamland. Their room should be dark and quiet – you may want to invest in noise-canceling headphones or other accessories that can help cancel out distracting noises.
What’s your favorite parenting tip to get your kids to bed? Leave a comment!
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"Do not neglect to do good and to share what you have, for such sacrifices are pleasing to God."
Hebrews 13:16 (ESV)
