Helping Your Child Have a Good Night's Sleep

By Anita Mary Winter

One of the more challenging times of raising a child is dealing with bedtime. If your child doesn't sleep soundly, neither will you. The trick to providing a happier bedtime experience is simple, have a routine. Having a planned routine every night helps your child feel secure and comforted in his bedroom environment. My two and half year old loves going through his step by step ritual before going to bed. To be honest it has taken many sleepless nights to finally get my son to enjoy bedtime. It wasn't that long ago that he slept with us. Big mistake! He tossed and turned all night, leaving both my husband and myself tired and sluggish the next day. What I also realized was that my toddler wasn't sleeping well either. After realizing that he needed to be out of our bed and in his own, I suffered through two nights of crying and sobbing until finally a break through. It was easier than I thought.

Fill His Belly

I first made sure he had a decent dinner. A full tummy makes a huge difference. A hungry child will usually toss and turn all night.

Make His Bed Comfortable

Next, I made sure to make his bed as comfortable as possible. It's important not to have a lot of pillows and blankets on the bed because this could cause suffocation so I put a soft quilted over lay on top of his mattress so it would add a soft warm coziness for him and made sure he had a thick comforter, especially during the winter.

Bath Time before Bed when Possible

I know that after working all day, coming home with dinner to prepare and laundry to wash, it's hard to work up the energy to give your child a bath every night but I guarantee it will relax your little one. And if you're too tired have your husband help, daddies need to be a part of this process.

Bedtime Stories

But before you dim the lights, bedtime stories are a very important step in easing your Child's mind. My son loves to be read to and he loves to point out things on the page that interest him. Having one or two bedtime stories to alternate are good because it again is repetition.

Let Him Cuddle with a Soft Friend

My son loves to snuggle with his stuffed animal; it makes him feel like he's not alone. Let your child feel like he's responsible for his own stuffed animal. By telling your child to tuck his stuffed animal in the bed, like mom does for him, makes him feel in charge of his stuffed friend as well as important.

Play Music to Relax His Mind

I set up a cd player near his bed so I could play soothing bedtime music. Most children love music. It gives them something to focus on besides the fact that they are by themselves.

Kiss Him Good Night

Always let them know that you love them. A kiss on the forehead or a hug, these are what we need to do to make our child know that we care and are watching over them. I love saying a prayer with my son. He loves closing his eyes while holding his hands together saying, "Amen". It makes me feel all warm and fuzzy on the inside just knowing that he's paying attention to me and he seems to be happier when the lights go out.

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