How To Win Those Bedtime Battles

It’s been a long day for you both and bedtime is finally here for your toddler. If you’re like a lot of other parents, your day ends with an epic clash to get your little one to settle down and fall asleep on their own. Some Moms needs to sit by their daughter’s open door until she finally falls asleep. Often Dad must put the things he needs to get done around the house on hold because he’s constantly in and out of his son’s room before the boy finally closes his eyes for the night. If you’re a parent that’s suffering through the frustrating push and pull of bedtime battles with your toddler, there are some things you can do to make everyone’s nighttime go more smoothly.

Transition 

Children are like adults in that they can’t just shut down after a full day and fall asleep on cue because it’s suddenly bedtime. Like us, toddlers need a transition period to relax and settle down and a routine is the best way to accomplish that. These should start anywhere from 30 minutes to one hour before you want their little heads to hit the pillow.

Do the same things in a predictable order so your child understands what’s coming next and has time to prepare for it. A bath followed by brushing teeth, reading books and then finally bed can actually make them sleepy once they learn the routine. On the other side of the coin, she’ll start asking for a bath when she feels tired once she understands the way everything works.

Your toddler loves to spend time with you and they quickly learn the art of negotiation can stretch your routines out so there’s more time with Mom and Dad.

Asking for an extra glass of water as bedtime approaches or insisting on finding her favorite stuffed bear before lights out might just be her way of stalling. If you suspect that’s the case, stay one step ahead by allowing him a sippy cup of water beside the bed but stay firm about finding the missing toy in the morning.

Dark Tantrum Clouds 

You need to be calm and firm when the dark clouds of a tantrum start taking shape. Don’t show any frustration and always remember that if you give in to the “Five minutes more, Mommy, please!” plea too often, she’ll see that it works and keep it up. Try to keep in mind your toddler sees all the action going on around him and wants to be part of everything he sees.

This “so much to do, so little time” mentality means they are healthy, happy and inquisitive and points to the fact you’re doing a lot of things right in raising them. They’ll be outgrowing a crib between the ages of two to four and moving to a bed, so getting up over and over again for the first little while is a normal part of getting used to their new sleeping arrangements and the freedom a bed brings.

Read more info like this at  All My Children.

Author: Rob Starr