The nightly mission: Get the children to bed on time, keep them in bed through the night, and hope they awake refreshed and in good humor the next morning.
Bedtime can be a challenge for parents because most children at least occasionally experience problems with bedtime or sleeping. Often this is the case because different developmental stages in a child's growth require different amounts and patterns of sleep.
Child-care experts strongly recommend that parents create a bedtime ritual, a predictable sequence of events each evening that help a child calm down and prepare for bedtime. Such a ritual might include putting on pajamas, brushing teeth, reading stories, singing soothing songs or getting comforting words and hugs from Mom and Dad.
Here are tips from parents on how to cope with bedtime:
Imagine Jell-O. "To help my children relax at bedtime, I asked them to try to relax so their bodies felt like Jell-O (spineless, boneless, etc.). They could relate to this analogy, and they were able to transform themselves into Jell-O --which was really relaxation in disguise."
Get an aquarium. "The soothing, bubbling noise from a fish-aquarium pump is calming to children, and the light provides a perfect night light."
Nap after lunch. "I found that a child will be ready to nap immediately after lunch. People get sleepy after eating a meal, so take advantage and put him to bed right away."
Use a dimmer switch. "A dimmer switch allows you to control the amount of light you need. It's perfect for the nursery or a young child's room."
