It doesn’t seem to matter how well behaved your child is, or how hard you try to build a schedule, many children fight and struggle when it comes to bedtime. Children become smarter as they grow up. At some point they will begin to recognize the correlation between putting on their pajamas, brushing their teeth, or cuddling up and reading a book with you with bedtime. The struggle comes in because they are testing the boundaries, trying to stay up and spend more time with you, and being afraid of missing out on something.

What can you do to help make bedtime easier and tackle your child’s delay tactics? Here are a few tips and tricks.

  • Develop a schedule and stick to it. Your child may recognize the pattern and challenge bedtime in the beginning, but if there is a definite pattern to the bedtime ritual and it is the same every night your child will eventually accept bedtime for what it is and not challenge it as much.
  • Invite your child to decide what order he or she wants to do things. Do they want to read a book with you before or after they brush their teeth? Which pajamas do they want to where to bed?
  • Get ready for bed yourself. Although you may not be going to bed at the same time as your child try putting on your pajamas and brushing your teeth with your child. They will see that everyone is going to bed and may not challenge their own bedtime as much.
  • Set a limit to the number of books you will read at bedtime. One of the most common ways kids challenge bedtime is by asking you to read one more book. If the rule is one book at bedtime, stick to your guns.
  • Spend sometime before the getting ready for bed ritual begins winding down. If your child is all wound up right before they go to bed they are more likely to fight it. Think of a few activities you can do that are fun but quiet.
  • Make careful choices about the food and drinks your child is allowed in the evening. Many foods and drinks such as those high in sugar and caffeine will make it difficult for your child to fall asleep.
  • Stay calm. If you get worked up trying to get your child to go to bed they will get worked up as well making it even harder to get them to calm down and go to bed. It might hard sometimes, but can make a huge difference.

There are many things you can do to help make bedtime a little easier. The key is to be consistent and stick to the rules.

What things do find helpful? What things does your child respond to?

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