Is bedtime a hassle in your home? We are frequently asked about that, so here's a 5-star plan for helping children go to bed willingly, without threats or bribes. The same plan works, whether for naps or night sleep. We love it and you will too.
- Consistent Bed Time - Choose and enforce a regular bed or naptime. Children simply function better with a set routine, whether they act that way at bedtime or not.
- Advance Notice - Whether or not your child resists going to bed, it's a good idea to start focusing toward bedtime at least 30 to 45 minutes beforehand. You'll be amazed at how much you can accomplish with, "When the big hand gets to 12 (or whatever), we'll start getting ready for bed." Then you direct the child into quieter types of activities.
- Ritual Chart - Make an erasable chart that lists all the things that you do to get ready for sleep or rest time, the last of which is "Quiet Time". Naptime may have 5 to 10 items, while nighttime may have up to 20 steps. Now, help your child check off each item as it's finished. In this way your child is organizing his life around a definite plan, an investment with giant future benefits.
- Music - Somewhere near the end of the list, start some quiet, relaxing music. As a signal for starting Quiet Time, use the same music each time. You can even use a specific point within a selection as your Quiet Time cue. Whatever your choice with the music, the most important player in Quiet Time is YOU, because your child will eventually follow your lead. Here's how it works.
- Quiet Correction - Once Quiet Time begins, whatever corrections or servicing needs to be done, you must do without any words...and no "attitude" either! Even if you choose to stay with the child for a while after Quiet Time starts, you still need to do it silently. Even a "shhh" during this time counts as a word!
Meanwhile, if your child gets out of bed, silently take him back. If the child asks for something already done, just point to that place on the chart.
Parents and providers who follow this plan are sometimes surprised at how well it works. We use it every day with 100% success.
We'd be glad to hear about your success - or frustrations. Just give us a call if you need a little help. So long. Later.
