Bedtime issues are one of the main problems parents are facing with their child. To be more specific, the main problem isn't that their child won't sleep, but mostly that he won't stay in bed. Sleep is very important in young children and making a child sleep is actually impossible. If he's tired, he'll sleep. But when a child doesn't sleep, he usually gets up and finds excuses: he wants a glass of water, forgot to tell you something, want to sleep in your bed... Even if you can't make your child sleep, you definitely can make him stay in his bed and therefore fall asleep faster.
Here are the 5 things to do when a child won't sleep or rather won't stay in bed:
1. Establish a bedtime routine. The steps you choose to create your bedtime routine don't matter as much as the routine itself. Basically, the steps can be: put his pajamas, brush his teeth, pick a short book to read, pick a plush to sleep with, sing a song, kiss goodnight. A good idea is to illustrate each routine steps on a paper with pictures you took one night or with drawings you made and pin the "routine guide" up on his bedroom's door. It'll make it fun to follow!
2. Show signs that the bedtime routine begins by having him put his pyjamas right before the routine and not 2 hours before, by speaking in a quiet voice, by asking him to put the toys back in their box. When a child won't sleep, it's sometimes because bedtime comes too suddenly.
3. Reassure your child. Tell him you're not far and that if he stays in bed, you'll come back in five minutes. Wait and go back to his room. Hug him, reassure him, tell him you're happy and proud he stayed in his bed. Tell him you'll come back again in a moment but that he has to stay in his bed. Wait longer than 5 minutes and go back to his room. Make the intervals longer. He'll fall asleep soon. Always reward his good behaviour by a hug.
4. If he gets up, don't have a soothing tone like the one you had when he stayed in his bed, be firm, take him by the hand, don't hug him. Tell him he must stay in bed and that you'll come back in a moment. When you come back, if he stayed in his bed, hug him and reassure him. About letting the door open, make it a privilege. If he stays in his bed, you'll let the door slightly open. If he gets up, you'll close the door. If your child won't sleep with the door closed, he'll understand he has to stay in his bed to have that privilege.
5. If your child stays in his bed but calls you saying he wants something, tell him he had the time to ask for something before going to bed, now it's too late (unless he needs to go to the toilet or is really thirsty). If your child won't sleep, he might call you to tell you he's not sleepy at all. Tell him: "Okay, then don't sleep. Just stay in your bed. But don't sleep, okay?". He'll fall asleep by focusing on not falling asleep! This worked with me as a child and many children including mine. You can also sing the Mary Poppins' song "Stay Awake"!
But what if my situation is more difficult and my child's behavior intolerable?
When a bad behavior has already become a habit in your child or teen and that you have no control or authority over him anymore, some effective guidelines have to be applied by you as soon as possible. Unfortunately, time is always against you and in such situation, you need more than just a few tips. The good news is that some parents and therapists created very effective parenting programs that you can easily apply.
You may want to visit this friendly website I've created with some parents called www.YourParentingHelp.com to find which method could be appropriate for your child. We actually selected the most effective program per age range (toddlers, children and teens) and give an honest and in-depth review of each.
With consistency and the right communication skills, any situation can be improved, no matter how hopeless it seems to you at the moment, I can assure you that.
Thanks for reading!
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Laura_Kaine
