Bedtime Routines? Yep Make It Interesting!
For Babies To Young Children
Whether you have one child or you are Octo-Mom! Bedtime can be a circus sometimes. I still will try to spend time with my two lil girls to make sure they see and talk to their daddy before they go to sleep. Tucking my children in at night are times that they will remember once it becomes a routine. Something that they will treasure later on when they think about all those times daddy came into their room to tuck them in for bedtime.
The best thing to do is start the bedtime routine before you want your children to actually go to sleep. This is called the setup! Give them enough time to eat, brush their teeth, and get into pajammas. Kids love games like Uno, and Monopoly and other easy cheap fun games to do with your children to use up that energy they may have after dinner. A good book taking turns reading to each other is also a quick way to get your children and yourself to sleep.
No matter what the age, including my age, a nice warm bath or hot shower for your child can help soothe them into a ritual where they know after the bath its almost bedtime, so they can start to program their own bodies when its time for bedtime. Age depending, this is a good time to bond with your baby. I have a 7 month old and she loves to check out the bubbles in the baby tub she has, and this is great bonding time with your young one. While my 9 year old who loves to sing while in the shower seems to get more energy.
After the clean shower or bath, its jamma time! When your child puts on their own pajamas you should go and put on your pajama's also even if you don't plan to go to sleep. Doing the same thing as your child will reinforce your bedtime routine so its set in stone.
When its time to tuck in your child, this is a good way to think of a special way to tuck in your child. I will pray with my oldest, then she will give me a kiss on my forehead and cheek before I tuck her in. Just telling a child to go to bed is BORING. Make it fun, make it new, make it apart of your family lives. Repeating this nightly will ensure special nights to be remembered by your children.
