5 Tips on how to manage behaviors during bed time routine

5 Tips on how to manage behaviors during bed time routine

I think we can all agree with the little amount of sanity we have left at the end of the day, that bedtime routine is the most challenging. Our dying wish is to hope that bedtime routine will go as planned, as we have mentally manifested in our mind throughout the day that our kids will simply listen, follow instructions, and will comply with our primitive demands of going to sleep on time. But 9 out of 10 times, a warzone of compromises between us and ‘them’ ensues and a debate of “why do we need to sleep?” engages until we lose our minds. We can honestly say we have been there countless nights with Eve and Elle, and still currently do. So we hope these 5 tips will ease the tension between you and your little ones, and hopefully you will have a more seamless transition into bedtime routine. 

Maintain a consistent routine

Children need consistency, and predictability. If your daily schedule is different, it will be difficult for your child to adapt to a routine, and therefore their behaviors will be much harder to manage. If your child knows what to expect every night, they will be more likely to follow your instructions with ease, as they have already learned the routine every night. Every night should be consistent with the same activity, and nothing should change or be different. Eventually, your child should know what to expect, and know what to do without prompts or reminders. 

Establish a consistent bed time 

Once you take account of how long the process of your bedtime routine takes such as how long your child takes to brush their teeth, drink their milk, and settle in their pajamas, you can start to establish what time your child will settle into bed. You also need to take account of what time your children are eating dinner, how long it takes for them to eat, and how long it takes for bath time. Setting a consistent bedtime, also requires you establishing everything else prior to them heading to bed. If for example you end up having a late dinner, then this will delay bath time, brushing their teeth, changing into pajamas, and then eventually the time they finally get into bed. Once you ensure your schedule is consistent and on time, bedtime will eventually follow, and you can have a consistent bedtime for your kiddies. Of course you will have those off days where perhaps you went to a relative’s house and arrived late at home, or maybe there was a school play. And that is totally fine. But if your children are used to a consistent schedule, then they will adapt quickly to the regular routine the following night. 

Create calming downtime 

So now it’s bedtime. And your children are jumping on the bed, throwing their toys around in their room, and they are simply not ready to go to bed. It is unreasonable to expect them to channel their high energy down to zero, and expect them to go to sleep when they are at such a heightened state of mind. So instead, we need to gradually set the tone to bedtime, and create the appropriate environment for them to sleep in. You can either have one pre-selected book for bedtime to maintain the consistency, or you can allow your child to pick a book so they still feel they are in control and making their own decision. When we are reading to Eve and Elle, we like to adjust our tone, and make it quieter because we are trying to slowly decrease the high energy of the room and the environment. Suddenly, they went from running around butt naked, to calmly focusing their attention to my voice and the story. 

Keep a consistent sleeping environment 

The environment plays a significant role. Once we create a subtle and peaceful environment, your child can ease into bedtime as their brain will connect with the response that it is time to sleep. Use a sound machine with ocean waves, rain sounds, or white noise. Filling a room with an ambiance of calming sounds will help your child engage in eventually falling asleep. Creating the habit of associating these sounds with sleep, will help your child instinctively know that it is bedtime. Additionally, you can use a projector with lights to create a peaceful ambiance. Finally, use black out curtains if needed. Removing the distractions of the outside and any light can help your child fall asleep faster. Keep these elements consistent, and they will recognize their sleeping environment, thus reducing their behaviors during bedtime routine. 

Remove screen time before going to sleep 

Long periods of screen time can cause headaches and impact your child’s sleep quality. The blue screen simulates daylight and suppresses melatonin, which is the hormone that regulates sleep. This can negatively affect your child’s sleep cycle. Screen time can furthermore reduce sleep duration, which will cause your child not to have enough sleep the following day. In result, you will wake up to cranky babies and more challenges to deal with the next morning. 

We hope these 5 tips serve as a model to reduce the frustrations and power struggles with your young ones. Keep in mind, your routine will change as your child gets older. You will have to make the necessary adjustments to your routine, as you will find certain things will no longer work.

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