Sleep time tips and tricks for nighthawk kids

When faced with four options (a little survey I found – Thanks Facebook!) would you rather have: eight hours of uninterrupted sleep; a clean house; kids who eat what’s put in front of them; or someone to do your errands for you? Hands down in my world the answer is sleep.
Pre-kids, I was an up and at ‘em girl. I loved mornings and being fully charged for a new day. It was my favourite time to workout, to talk, to be with people, I was hands down a morning person. I still love the sunshine that wakes me up in the morning but I will say my step has less bounce in it before my morning coffee.

We were blessed with three wonderful children, and although I love them to pieces, I have to say we were not blessed with three great sleepers. Still now, with a six, four and two-year-old there is not a night that goes by where we are not woken up for some reason. It may be someone peed the bed, or had a night terror, or lost their blankets, or has to pee, or wants to come to our bed. It is always something. My husband nor I have not slept a full night in a really long time. It’s amazing what we can get through in a day with a broken up sleep of under eight hours.
Having said all that, we’ve always had a great bedtime routine with our kiddos and so getting the kids to bed has always been a piece of cake.
Here are a few tips for getting the kids to bed easily, keeping them there all night is another story in my world, so if you have any tips please share them with me next time you see me.
Bedtime tips/tricks
How to pick a bedtime: Bedtime fluctuates during a child’s life and is dependent on their day. However, most doctors would probably suggest a 12-hour sleep period. This does vary between children, know your child and how much sleep they need to be rested for the next day.
Screen time: According to healthline.com, children should not be watching screens (TV or computer) two hours prior to bedtime. The light from the screen can interfere with melatonin protection, which is the hormone needed to make a person sleepy. So TV before bed can actually make it more difficult for your child to get to bed.
Setting the tone: Create a cozy, dark environment that will induce sleep. Soft sheets, not too many toys and dark shades all help create the perfect environment for your kids to fall asleep.
Provide protection from fears: If your child has any fears at bedtime, get rid of them before the tuck in; search the room, spray for monsters, close closet doors, etc… Cute idea, use a can of air freshener with a new label to spray the room for monsters.
Bed time routine: A bedtime routine is a sequence of events that leads to bedtime. The sequence of events becomes the routine and therefore gives your child the clues necessary to lead them to rest time. About a half hour before bedtime is when your children need to start winding down, relaxing and getting ready for sleep. We enjoy a bath, brushing teeth, going to the washroom, then story and song. Of course, this varies with every family, also varies with what the rest of your schedule is like. For instance, do you have an early dinner? If so you may need to add in a bedtime snack to your routine. Whatever the case, you figure out what routine works best for you family and try to stick to it as much as possible. A good routine will make for an easier bedtime for everyone involved!
Staying consistent: Consistency is almost always the key with parenting and kids. If they know they can get away with something once, chances are they will try again and again for that same result. Having said that, be consistent with sending them back to their bed when they come looking for water, an extra kiss, one last hug, “oops I have to pee again”, or the “I’m scared” line. Try and cover all your bases before sending them to bed so that really there are no excuses. Remember if you cave and let them get some extra cuddle time on the couch with you after bedtime, expect that to be the new routine and it’s a lot harder to break once you’ve started it. So stay consistent.
I hope that some of these tips help you get your kids off to sleepy land easily. Rest easy mama, you rock.