20 Easy tips to make your kid an "Early Riser"
Nowadays many parents often complain that their kids sleep very late in the nights. Making the kids go to bed early is what every parent wish but how hard they try their dream doesn't come true. Here are twenty simple tips to make your kids go to bed early.
We all are familiar with the phrase "Early to bed and early to rise". Though its sounds very much easier, its often "hard" to follow even with adults. Hence, in the case of children its much more "harder".
"My kid watches all his favourite programs and then goes to bed. How hard I try but he won't listen and just comments that he can't sleep". If you too are facing the same problem from your kids, then you perfectly fit in the group where every parent complain about not being able to put their kids to sleep. Kids don't want to sleep early. They sleep only when they finish watching their shows or cartoons. All you end up doing is constant nagging and raising your own blood pressure.
Nowadays many parents often complain that their kids sleep very late in the nights. Making the kids go to bed early is what every parent wish but how hard they try their dream doesn't come true. It's really hard to give advice on how to make kids go to bed early, but each and every parent would need to put on their own efforts to make this happen. Problem related to kids sleeping habits differ with each and every individual. Few reasons why a kid may not be able to sleep early
- Sleeping Disorders such as Insomnia, Parasomnia, Disturbed Sleep and Narcolepsy
- Afternoon Sleep
- Late night TV Watching
- Ill Health
- Noisy Surroundings
- Over Exhaustion
- Scary NightmaresTips to Make the Kids go to Bed Early
Here are few tips that would definitely work and help the kids to go to bed early:
1. Try learning more about Sleeping Disorders and try to find whether your kid is actually suffering from one of them. If yes, consult a doctor and find out what can be done about it.
2. Turn off the TV at a scheduled time every day. If the kids should not watch the TV, then the same rule must be followed by parents too(at least until the kids go to sleep).
3. Make your child to sleep at fixed timings every day. This time should not be changed,no matter what.
4. Try to establish a daily bed time routine.
Daily Bed Time Routine:
- Brushing teeth
- Wearing night pyjamas
- Reading out a story book (just 1 story)
- or Telling one story
5. A glass of hot milk is said to calm down the nerves and helps kid to sleep.
6. Avoid any kind of caffeine drinks like cold drinks, coffee etc in the night or late evenings.
7. Over-exhaustion can affect your child's sleep. When the child complains of pain in his legs or back, don't ignore it. Try a lukewarm oil massage. A good lukewarm oil massage induces sleep in children.
8. If a kid is ill especially with fever, cough and cold, he wont be able to sleep. Such medical conditions disturb children's sleep and parents should understand. In such cases patients need a lot of rest and tend to sleep only when they feel better.
9. A noisy environment can make it difficult to sleep even for adults. Hence see that the kid's sleep is not affected with such noises. Children sleep better in quiet and comfortable surroundings.
10. A change of place affects kid's sleep. Make sure that children sleep in their own bedroom and don't keep changing their sleeping area every now and then. Though some or the other time this can be managed.
11. A physical activity may seem to work best when it comes to sleeping. Hence ensure that your kid goes to play outdoors, in parks or at least follows some physical exercises.
12. If your kid is worried about night mares or is afraid of dark, don't scare him more. On the contrary, comfort him by discussing about his fears. If the child is afraid of darkness, then put a small lamp in his room and lit it at least till he goes to sleep.
13. As you would maintain a regular sleeping schedule, in the same manner try to maintain an early morning getting up schedule. Don't let the kids oversleep.
14. For toddlers afternoon nap can be good but try and avoid an afternoon nap in grown up kids. Afternoon naps mostly affect early night sleep and kids won't be able to sleep early at all. Hence engage the kids in some activity to avoid afternoon naps.
15. In case you really have to put them to sleep in the afternoons, see that its not very late in the afternoon. And the afternoon nap should not be more than an hour or so.
16. A hot water bath can also help the kids to sleep early. Hot water bath relaxes their muscles and induces sleep in children.
17. Make sure that the kids finish their homework or school assignments in time. As this could be one reason why kids may stay put late in the nights.
18. At least give the kids some time to relax before going to sleep. Kids are often excited after their exercise routine or TV watching. So one can allot at least 20 - 25 minutes for the kids to relax and then head to their bedroom. During this time engage them in small chats or just sit and relax.
19. See that the children finish their dinner at least 1 hour before their sleeping time. Kids should not sleep directly after eating as it may not be good for their body.
20. Kids can be occasionally rewarded for their good behaviour and for following the bed time routine in a perfect manner. Such rewards like a movie or a dine-out can be very encouraging. Occasionally a chocolate or candy bar may also be given as a reward.
Try these tips to make your child an early bird and thereby leading a more healthy lifestyle.
Sleeping early in the night and waking up early in the morning is one of the best habits which is necessary not only for children but also for the elders, but in today's changed lifestyle, everyone's rules of sleeping and waking have changed. Isis is also negatively impacting children, which is harmful to their health. Younger children sleep early, so older children take more time to sleep according to their age. That is why our children should prepare a set routine to sleep with little pangs, which further helps in getting these habits early in the morning. To correct the child's routine, you will need to make some changes to your routine.