Establishing a routine for bedtime makes for healthier children

Parents know that good sleep is important for their children. It increases the retention of learning, improves children’s behavior and energy levels, and improves general health.  

But the question remains: How do you get your children to go to bed and to sleep at a reasonable time? A set bedtime routine will help your children learn to relax and prepare for slumber. It is best to begin this when your child is a toddler, but a good bedtime routine can be established for children of any age.

 Here are some tips to help you in establishing a bedtime routine:  

1.)  Establish a predictable and consistent sequence of events that lead to going to bed. Try to keep this consistent, even on weekends and vacations. For example, the sequence may be:  play time, dinner, bath time, story time, putting a doll or stuffed animal to bed, then your child goes to bed. The routine may need to be different for children of different ages and different levels of independence, but each routine should be consistent for each child.

2.)  Talk to your child about the bedtime routine as the time you have set for bedtime as it gets closer. At dinner, you may say “after dinner it will be time for your bath, then you can pick a story for us to read before going to bed.”

3.)  Encourage your child to be a part of the process. Ask your child what step comes next, let your child pick out a story or which pajamas to wear. Make a “bed” for their doll or stuffed animal and let them put it to bed at the same time they prepare for bed.

4.)  TV, computers and loud or stimulating music should not be used during the bedtime routine as they make children more alert and interfere with the ability to relax. Quiet, soothing music could be used.

5.)  Dim the lights while getting ready for bed. If your child is afraid of the dark, you can make looking under the bed and inside closets part of the routine. Provide reassurance and use night lights to decrease their anxiety.  

6.)  Other relaxing activities to try while transitioning to bedtime could be: cuddling with a “bedtime” blanket, cuddling with a parent for story time, working with the parent on putting away toys (“Time for your toys to go to bed.”), or singing a lullaby or bedtime song.

Expect a new routine to take about a month of consistent performance before it becomes an established habit. With patient and consistent carryover, going to bed can become an easy and relaxing time for the entire family.

(Cindy Sullivan, Occupational Therapist at St. John’s Lutheran Hospital.)