The Crib: A Blog for New Parents

Posted by pecuellar on 04/26/08 - 01:50 PM

Bedtime routines can help a baby to get to bed easier. Knowing what to expect will help your child to relax and realize what is expected of them and when. The sooner and more consistent your routine is the better luck you will have. I have also found this system helpful for nap times, although I have a different routine for that. What happens as part of your routine, whether if be songs or stories, is not as important as the consistency. This is my basic plan but you can modify it to fit your needs.

• Verbalize the routine. Even when they are too little to understand the words, this helps to set the scene that something is about to happen.

• Keep it simple. Bath, pajamas, story, and then bed. Your routine doesn’t have to take all evening, leave some unstructured time between dinner and bed for free play.

• Stick to the plan. This is where the consistency kicks in. Once you have started, let things happen the way you said they would and don’t let your child throw things off track.

• Involve your child. Let them pick the story, bedtime song or the stuffed animal that gets to sleep with them. Feeling like they have some control will make it easier for them to go along with the plan.

• Make the actual bed part quick. My son gets one kiss from everyone, then straight to bed. Even if he protests, he stays in bed. He calms down very quickly, usually within a minute, then settles down to go to sleep.

Don’t be afraid to experiment until you find something that works well for your family. Also choosing a bedtime that is a little earlier than when your child is completely exhausted will help.