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Bedtime Mistakes that Every Parent Has Made

Bedtime is often when parents struggle most with their little ones for control and often give up out of pure frustration. Even experienced parents have at least one child who is resistant to going to bed and know the challenges that bedtime presents. And those children who fight sleep are easy to recognize in our South Windsor day care.

In our last blog we listed a number of bedtime books that are intended to help relax and prepare your child for bedtime, but there are a number of other things that you may want to avoid doing however, when readying your child to lay down and go to sleep. Avoid these mistakes to ensure that your little one goes down much easier on a more consistent basis.

  • Putting the child to bed too late. It would seem to the unfamiliar that if you put a child to bed later, they would fall asleep easier. Actually the opposite is true. When an infant or toddler becomes overtired, falling asleep becomes more difficult as they are easily agitated.
  • Supplying over-stimulation. Mobiles, lights and sounds can actually stimulate your child’s mind and distract the baby from falling asleep. Forego the mobile and let your baby doze off peacefully.
  • Skipping a bedtime routine. Children are soothed by routine and regular quiet activities like nightly baths, lullabies and a bedtime story send signals that are sleep cues to little ones.
  • Being inconsistent with bedtime expectations. Set guidelines and expectations and stick to them. Start early with those sleep patterns that will be important in the future and adhere to them.

If you’re concerned about everyone waking rested and ready to start their day at child care or preschool, try cuddling up with a child’s favorite blanket to lull them into a relaxed state while you read their favorite bedtime story. We wish you and your little one a restful night’s sleep. Sleep tight….