Perhaps you spent months sleep training your infant. You finally taught her how to fall asleep and stay asleep. It worked for a few months until she grew into a toddler and one night she woke up. All the sleep lessons you worked so hard to teach were replaced with new toddler bedtime issues. Now, an entirely different set of nighttime guidelines applies. Kids Health claims that toddlers needs 10 to 13 hours of sleep a night. Rest assured, there are ways to train your toddle to fall asleep and stay sleep all night.
Ending Nightmares
You know monsters aren't there, but your toddler may fear otherwise. If your child occasionally awakes frightened and crying, he may be experiencing nightmares. Hug him and patiently reassure him that it was just a dream. If he's too scared to go back to sleep, spend some time searching his room for "monsters." If he wants to join in the search, let him. Keep Kids Healthy advises waiting until morning when your little one is calmer to hash out the details of the dream. The site also advises parents to discourage their child from watching television within an hour before bedtime and put a nightlight in the tot's bedroom to help avoid future scary nights.
Sticking to a Routine
Children thrive on routine. This especially holds true at bedtime. Toddler Bedtime Tips recommends creating a relaxing bedtime routine that works for you and your family. The site even suggests starting the nighttime routine as early as dinner time. Keep everything consistent, from the length of time you spend eating dinner, to the length of time your kids spend in the bathtub. Evening regimens can include teeth-brushing, relaxing playtime and story time, followed by a homemade goodnight kiss. Different styles work for different families. Toddler Bedtime Tips reminds parents to write their schedule down so a grandparent or babysitter can stay consistent on mom and dad's night out.
Staying in Bed
As your infant starts growing too old for bottles and booties, you may put away the crib and transition her into a "big girl bed." At first she may love sleeping in a big bed like mommy and daddy, but soon the absence of four crib rails becomes her ticket to exploration. Dr. Marc Weissbluth, in his book, "Healthy Sleep Habits, Happy Child," says to examine your child's nap schedule. Make sure she isn't napping too much or too little during the day. Either problem could cause her to stay awake at night searching for adventures. If you have experimented with your toddler's sleep amounts and she is still staying awake and sneaking out of bed, Dr. Weissbluth advises parents to be firm. He writes that parents should put their child back into bed and explain to her that every time she gets out of bed you are going to put her back without talking to her or looking her in the face. Calmly, but firmly, tell your child why bedtime is important and will be enforced. Dr. Weissbluth writes that the negative attention will help enforce the lesson.
References
- Kids Health: All About Sleep
- Keep Kids Healthy: Sleep Problems
- Toddler Bed Time Tips: Have a Bedtime Routine To Help Your Toddler Sleep
- "Healthy Sleep Habits, Happy Child"; Dr. Marc Weissbluth, MD; 2003
