Kids can be mischievous, and it can sometimes be hard to get them to bed at the right time. Some kids struggle with sleeping disorders and others are just naughty and will not immediately go to sleep when they are supposed to. So, you need to devise a way to ensure that they go to sleep on time and have a good night of sleep. The following are tips to help you get your kids to enjoy their sleep at night;
Ensure the sleeping environment is ideal
Creating an ideal sleeping environment for your kids is a no brainer. You want their rooms to promote sleep because that is the easiest way to get them to sleep. First, you need to make sure that their bed is comfortable enough as well as clean and fresh. Look for a mattress that provides better sleep as comfort is key to having good sleep at night. Dim the lights in the bedroom and make sure that there are no electronic gadgets that may keep them up at night.
Create a bedtime routine
Creating a bedtime routine is a great way to teach your children different practices they can associate to getting to bed. Switch off the TV and other electronics ten minutes before the actual bedtime routine. Use this time to relax as it will go a long way to helping you and the kids sleep better at night. The bedtime routine can entail taking a bath just to relax, putting on pajamas, brushing teeth, short bedtime stories then going to bed.
Have a specific sleep and wake time
When you fix a specific time for the kids to go to bed and wake up, then this helps train their internal clock. It will be easier for the kids to sleep well at night if they have a specific time to go to bed as opposed to having an irregular schedule for going to bed. Do your bedtime routine a few minutes to their sleep time and by doing this consistently, the kids will learn it as a part of their daily lives.
Ensure they exercise
One way to get your kids to sleep well at night is to allow them to play and exercise during the day. When the kids are active during the day, then it will be easier for them to sleep and wind down faster at night. Also don’t allow them to play less than 3 hours to bed because they will be too active to go to bed when they are supposed to.
Don’t give them food or drinks before bedtime
One of the worst mistakes you will do is to give your kids a hearty meal or soft drinks right before bedtime. If they have to eat anything before bedtime then give them something light like a healthy snack or even a glass of milk. Eating food before bedtime will make them uncomfortable at night and soft drinks will only stimulate them making them more active. Also, you want to avoid giving them anything with caffeine as it will also keep them active when they are supposed to be sound asleep.