Getting your Toddler to Sleep

In a lockdown, there are very few moments mom and dad can put down the “parent” mantel. While sleep is incredibly important for growing children, it is also a great opportunity for parents to reclaim time for themselves: watch a PG-13 show, meet up online with some friends, or even turn in early for some much-needed rest yourself! Today we discuss some tips and tricks to getting your kids to bed and make sure they stay there for the night!

Be Consistent and Firm

Our first tip is one that we give for literally any advice when dealing with children: be consistent. Kids are constantly testing boundaries: how late can I stay up? If I ask for this can I stay up? What if I phrase it this way? How about bargaining?

While intensely frustrating to parents inquisitive children are incredibly smart! They are constantly running science experiments on how the world works. The best way you can react as a parent is to give strict and firm boundaries without emotional drama. Kids need sleep and they need a nutritious diet and it’s up to parents to make sure they stay within their boundaries.

Your best bet when implementing a new sleep schedule is to be consistent:

• Same bed time
• Same routine
• Every day (7 days a week)

After a few months when your child is used to the routine you can start to be a bit more flexible. Consider changing the bed time to an extra hour or two on the weekends.

Designate an Hour of Wind-Down Time

Designate an hour before your start your bedtime routine as “Wind-Down Time“. The number one thing to remove for this hour is any screens. Parents would benefit from taking part as well. To give your toddler some autonomy give them options so they can choose their wind-down activity. Some ideas:

• Colouring
• Quietly reading (or looking through a picture book if they can’t read)
• Playing with building blocks/legos
• Playing with Dolls or Figurines

Set a Wind-Down Timer

Kids can’t tell time so saying an hour of wind down time may be hard for them to understand. Consider getting a colour coded timer that lets them know ten minutes before wind down time is over. You could even try playing calming music and slowly lowering the volume 10 minutes before it’s time to start the bed time routine.

Best Bed Time Routine Tips

We have assembled a list of do’s and don’ts when perfecting your family bedtime routine. Of course you will know your child best so add anything that you know already works!

• DO: add a warm bath to your routine
• DON’T: allow food, drinks, and snacks before bed. Water or Warm Milk only.
• DO: Consider using sleepy scents like lavender in lotions before bed
• DON’T: allow kids to set the limits (How many stories/How long a bath)
• DO: Have a set amount of time you will spend reading bedtime stories
• DON’T: Allow screens or bright lights in the bedroom. Switch to nightlights and dim lamps during wind-down time.

How to Get Toddlers to Stay in Bed

As toddlers get older they begin to crawl out of their cribs. This can be dangerous so we do recommend moving your toddler to a bed. If they are already in a bed we all know that putting a child to sleep and making them actually stay in bed are two separate tasks.

Make After-Bedtime Visits Boring

When your child comes to you or calls for you after bedtime make sure to use your boundaries. No more extra stories or only one more glass of water. Avoid overreacting either in frustration or concern. Gently, quietly, and firmly lead your child back to bed and let them know it’s bedtime.

Make Sure they Head Back to Bed

Nightmares may have a child come running out of fear. It’s natural and ok to comfort your child in these situations. It is important though that once they have calmed down they get used to heading back to their own beds for sleep.

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Kinder Buddies Oakville Child Care is a Quality First Daycare and Infant Care facility in Oakville, Ontario. We take care of children from the age of 6 weeks to 5 1/2 providing nutritious meals and fun activities all day long.