Getting Your Kids to Bed with Ease

Many parents find themselves with the same problem every single night. They can't get their children to go to bed, or they can't get them to stay in bed. This very typical but the key is not to stress. The more anxious you become about the whole routine, the more your child will pick up on your emotions and also make them anxious. Everyone knows you can't get an anxious child to go to bed, so relax.

There are a few simple and easy steps you can take to get your child to go to bed. One of the most important things is to make sure you keep a steady routine. You don't want to have a different routine every night. You do not want to have any disturbances for the 30 minutes prior to your child going to bed. For instance, you don't want to get on the phone right before your child goes to bed. Your child will see this as an invitation to deviate from his normal routine and go exploring because mom isn't paying attention. So, you will want to have it quiet and no disturbances for you or your child for 30 minutes prior to them going to bed.

You will want to establish a regular bedtime. This is very important and you must stick with this time. Your child will probably protest in the beginning, but be persistent. Once your child realizes that you are not going to give in, your child will start to accept his given bedtime.

Thirty minutes before bedtime, you will want to have a routine to signal to your child that bedtime is approaching. You may need a little more time than this when you first start, until your child gets adjusted to the routine. Don't allow for a lot of dawdling. As your child gets accustomed to his routine, dawdling should be at a minimum. Check your child's room to make sure it isn't too hot or cold, put the nightlight on, and get anything ready that you need for the next day.