publication date: Apr 24, 2007
By the time a toddler is in his
own bed - with the chance of getting up when he wants to - it is important to have established a
good routine: bath, bottle/drink, bed and story. If possible keep the
drink before bed so that teeth can be cleaned afterwards.
During the
run-up to bedtime, children need your
time and attention - very often children complain about bedtime and
keep getting up because they haven’t had what they feel is enough of your interest beforehand. So if you want some
child-free time in the evening, concentrate on them up to bedtime and
be firm about not getting up again to see you.
Bath and bed
When your child is
happily playing with bubbles or toys in the bath is an
ideal time to chat about what’s happened during the day and what the next day has in store. Bath-time should be
relaxed – for both parents and children.
For
younger children, mum or dad
reading a story while they snuggle down in bed encourages them to
wind down and
drift off to sleep. Even
older children still like to be read to, or they may prefer to listen to
story tapes/CDs or read to themselves. However don’t encourage them to play with toys which might keep them awake. That includes
not using a computer or
watching TV for older children.
The time
Once you have
decided on a time for going to bed stick to it.
Be consistent. If there’s a special programme on television you could record it and also you might allow a later bedtime at the weekend. You must also take into
consideration that children - including
siblings - need
differing amounts of sleep. Some will go to bed and
rise early while others will need to read for some time before they finally drop off and often
awaken later in the morning. The important thing is that a child is
rested and not
falling asleep during his lessons.
Sleep problems
If your child is having difficulty in
getting off to sleep, make sure there’s nothing
physical disturbing him like being
too hot or too cold. Beds should be attractive places that children feel
comfortable in and have
happy associations with. So don’t use being sent to bed as a
punishment. Most children eventually settle into their own
sleep patterns so try not to panic if yours is having problems. If you think you need more help
consult your doctor or school nurse.
But what do you do if your child keeps himself awake by
worrying about real or imaginary
problems? You can’t just tell a child to
stop worrying and he will. You have to give your child
reassurance that you are
aware of his worries, are prepared to try and
understand their cause and do something about finding a
solution in as practical, sensitive and supportive way as possible.
Checklist:
- Get him to identify his worries.
- Reassure him that you are listening and take his concerns seriously - what may seem a niggle to you may feel unsolvable to a child.
- If you can change something - do, for instance he may have a problem at school that you can sort out with the teacher.
- Encourage him to think positively - remind him of his successes, how well he coped with something else that had worried him.
- Praise him for talking about his worries and reassure that it’s quite normal to worry at times.
