Bedtime Resistance

Resistance at bedtime is a major problem for many parents of children of all ages. Many times with young pre-school children you may be ready to scream at the thought of bedtime if you are use to fighting every night getting your little one in bed and keeping them there.

Children of this age need 11 to 12 hours per sleep in a 24-hour period so it is very important to ensure they receive the proper amount of sleep for their growing bodies. As your child grows, the amount of sleep they need does become less until they reach their teen years then once again they need more sleep which is around 9 hours in 24.

As a parent, you want what is best for your children no matter their age, but you also do not wish to make bedtime a battle. There are many reasons children do not want to go to bed. Some of these can be they are stressed out and cannot sleep, they are afraid of the dark, they have separation anxiety, or they are prone to nightmares. All of these things and more can cause your child to not desire going to their room and being alone.

Therefore, how can you get your child to go to bed without a battle at any age? Begin with simple things first. Create a bedroom that is a good sleeping environment. If you do not know how to do this, it is really quite simple with just a few items.

Make sure the room is cool and dark, a night light is fine as long it is not glaring. One such as Twilight Turtle for younger children is perfect as it creates a starry night to soothe your child to sleep. Of course, with older children, a night light may not be appropriate but you can use a unique alarm clock such as the BioBrite Sunrise Alarm Clock that will simulate the setting sun and then in the morning 30 minutes prior to the time for getting up it will begin slowly simulating the sunrise.

Innovative products such as sound conditioners, white noise machines and waterall tabletop fountains work wonders are children that do not want to go to bed. The white noise machine will absorb all other sounds in the house so the children will not realize they are missing out on other activities and the fountains create a calm and relaxing atmosphere that will aid your children in falling to sleep and achieving a quite restful sleep.

You should set a bedtime and stick to it. Do not let them stay up even five minutes longer. Have a bedtime routine such as reading a book, taking a bath, or other quiet activity. Preparing them for bedtime each night in the same manner their minds and bodies will adjust to the schedule and before long, they will go to bed with any squabbles especially when they can watch the starry star or the listen to the water fountain. This makes bedtime fun and you will be glad you made these few adjustments.