Help with Separation Anxiety at Bedtime in Small Children

Separation Anxiety can be a problem for many children of all ages, including infants. If a child is use to having one parent around and that parent begins to work outside of the home, separation anxiety can be a major problem. On the other hand, did you know that children especially toddlers can experience separation anxiety at bedtime?

Many parents today do not realize why they are having problems putting their young children to bed at night and/or keeping them in their bed all night. The answer to this is question is more than likely separation anxiety. Children of this age are, of course, not wanting to sleep afraid they will miss out on all the activities around the house; however, they are also beginning to discover that when they sleep they are not with their parents. This is separation anxiety stepping up to say hello.

There are several methods being used today to help children with separation anxiety at bedtime including staying with the child until they fall asleep, however, if they awaken in the middle of the night and the parent is not around this just triggers the same emotions once again. Another idea is to put them to bed and walk away or slip out of the room. Both of these are just as bad as waiting until they fall asleep. One popular method is just ignoring them; however, this will not help the situation and can in fact make matters worse.

The best way in which to handle separation anxiety at bedtime is to begin with a bedtime routine. Do the same exact things every night such as bath time, brushing teeth, reading a book, and creating a bedroom that is quiet and calm. If you handle the bedtime, routine on a specific schedule your child will soon learn that bedtime is time for sleeping and that you will be there in the morning when they awaken.

When you create a calm and peaceful environment for your child to sleep you will be giving them, the best gift of all that will help them learn to relax and sleep no matter the age. Starting out when they are young will not only help with separation anxiety but will instill proper sleeping habits that will stay with them throughout their life.

There are several awesome products on the market today that will help you and your child with separation anxiety. A popular item is our baby massage kit which helps relax your infant or baby. Other great products include our Sleep Sheep which provides soothing sounds got your baby or child. You might also consider a Twilight Turtle, Cloud b Lavender Lab, or Marpac white noise machine.

If you add a massage to your bedtime schedule, you will love the Baby’s First Massage Kit, which will even guide you through every step to ensure your little receives the best massage.

Items that can help your child drift off to sleep and even stay asleep are perfect for children with separation anxiety. The Sleep Sheep allows your little one to hear mother’s heartbeat, spring showers, ocean surf, and whale songs, which will help your child, drift off to sleep without any problems. The Lavender Lab provides the aroma of lavender and all of its benefits for peaceful and restful sleep. Creating a nighttime environment will be easier than you think with the Twilight Turtle, which is the first and only plush constellation nightlight ever created, that transforms the room into a starry night sky. Last but certainly not least is a white noise machine that will absorb all sound in the home and outside to give your child a peaceful night’s sleep. Your little one will be disturbed by talking, traffic, or other sounds.

If you would like for more information or have questions about sleep, please check out our Sleep Advice Blog.