| Having a bedtime routine is one good way to ensure | | | | minutes or so. This helps them burn out their last little bit |
| your preschool-aged child gets a good night's sleep. | | | | of energy before they're ready to go to sleep. They |
| Children respond very well to routines in their daily | | | | usually tell us they're ready to go to sleep before we |
| schedules, and bedtime is no exception. Having a | | | | take their games away from them. |
| bedtime routine gives your child an opportunity to wind | | | | One of our boys falls asleep as soon as his head hits |
| down from the day's activities and not be as likely to | | | | the pillow. Our other son has a really hard time falling |
| fight your efforts to get them to go to bed. | | | | asleep. We let him take a few small toys to bed and |
| Getting children this age to bed can sometimes feel | | | | he plays with them and talks to himself until he is finally |
| like an overwhelming chore. Supernanny makes it look | | | | ready to fall asleep. |
| so easy. I don't claim to have all the answers. All | | | | Our boys like us to lie with them until they fall asleep. |
| children are different and respond to different routines. | | | | This is something you have to be careful of...if your |
| My goal is to share with you our family's bedtime | | | | children become dependent upon you sleeping with |
| routine that has worked well with our twin | | | | them, this can be the start of a habit that is very hard |
| four-year-old boys. | | | | to break. Many young children start waking up in the |
| Some parents start a bedtime routine by having their | | | | middle of the night and wanting you to sleep with them. |
| children take a bath. My boys don't take a bath every | | | | You definitely don't want to encourage this. We just |
| day, but bath time is a good way to signal to your kids | | | | finished going through a stage where our boys would |
| that it's almost time for bed. I usually start bath time | | | | wake up in the middle of the night and want us to |
| about an hour before it's time to head off to their | | | | sleep with them. They've finally started sleeping in their |
| bedroom to get ready for bed. | | | | own beds all night again. We do lie with them until they |
| I send my boys to their bedroom an hour before I | | | | fall asleep, and then they do stay in their beds all night |
| want them to go to sleep. They get their pajamas on, | | | | (for the most part!). I really enjoy lying next to them |
| brush their teeth, and then we read a couple of stories | | | | while they fall asleep. It is a special time for us to |
| together. They each get to pick at least one story. | | | | spend together and often a time for silly songs and |
| Sometimes I read to them and sometimes their dad | | | | stories. |
| reads to them. Often we read to them at the same | | | | Bedtime routines do take a commitment on your part |
| time. | | | | to get your kids ready for bed each night. You will |
| A fun way to mix things up a bit is to listen to books | | | | have to get in the habit of reading them stories and sit |
| on tape. There are a number of great books on tape | | | | talking to them as they get ready to go to sleep. While |
| for preschool-aged children. A number of them are | | | | it is indeed time consuming, it can become one of the |
| published by Scholastic. | | | | best parts of the day. The more your child enjoys this |
| After stories, our boys often still aren't ready to go to | | | | time, the easier time he or she will have going to sleep |
| sleep. We usually then turn off the lights and let them | | | | each night. |
| play with their Leapster video games for about 15 | | | | |