If your child has not already started the school year, they will be shortly! It is extremely helpful to get them into a Bedtime Routine now--ideally a week or two before school starts. Much of this information was presented in my post last year, "Beat the Bedtime Battles", but it bears repeating.
One frustration I hear expressed repeatedly by parents is,
“I have such a hard time getting my kids to go to sleep—it is a Battle!” From
my own experience I have found that having a nighttime routine is very
helpful. Children learn the routine and
are much more likely to fall asleep when they know what to anticipate. A
scheduled bedtime also ensures that your child is getting the necessary hours
of sleep required for good health.
·
PREPARATION FOR TOMMOROW: After bath, while kids
are putting on their PJ’s, I found it helpful to plan my child’s outfit for the
next day. I would offer 2 options (which
were perfectly acceptable to me), and then let my child choose which outfit
they wanted. This allowed them an
opportunity to learn decision making and also eliminated a fight in the
morning!
·
SNUGGLE TIME: I loved having a large rocking
chair in my children’s room when they were young. It was a great place to curl up together, to
experience cuddles, kisses and connection.
People need touch. Children need
touch—recent
studies have shown that it is critical to a child’s development. (See our blog post from last week regarding the importance of touch!) Gently rubbing or massaging your child’s back, arm or legs can help
them relax as well as feel loved and cared for.
· SHARING:
Talk about their day. Ask
open-ended questions like, “What was the best thing that happened today?” “What did you see today that made you
happy/sad?” “What did you learn today?”
·
READ: Let your child pick 2 or 3 books to read.
Many studies have shown the correlation of early exposure to books and stories
with earlier and higher levels of literacy and success in school. Children who love reading tend to learn to
read earlier. Children who read well
usually do better in school. (See our blog post, "The Importance of Reading to Your Children," by Guest Blogger Meghan Ames).
·
SING: Sing 1-2 songs together. Children’s songs, hymns, pop music, whatever
you and your child like. We have several
great products at our retail site: www.proeducationaltoys.com
·
PRAY:
Give your child an opportunity to express thankfulness. Let your child
think about others and their needs. Help them recognize that God created them, cares
about them and wants to be their Forever Friend.
·
KISSES AND LIGHTS OUT: A final kiss and hug and then “lights
out”. Make it clear that this is the
end. Walk out of the door and don’t return. There may be crying at first, but your child
will learn that whining and crying can’t manipulate their parents into
returning! You don’t need to feel guilty
and “cave in”! You have just spent
quality one-on-one time with your child.
You are now helping them meet a very important need in their life—sleep!
Start now to prepare your child for their school schedule--don't wait until the night before! Bedtimes don’t need to be a Battle! They can be a wonderful time to develop a
strong parent-child relationship. As you
talk, laugh, share, sing, read, and pray you will create cherished memories. It
is a golden opportunity to bond and connect!
Blog Administrator: Trisha Roberts
proeducationaltoys@gmail.com
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