Get Your Children To Go To Bed Without Protesting

We know how important sleep is to children, so we want to make sure they go to bed early. However, bedtime sometimes turns into a battle. Many children find it difficult to obey when they are distracted in their games, but we must be firm.

Over time we parents discover how to make children obey. Despite this, there are situations that end up beating us. To get children to go to bed without protest, you need to create habits in advance. It is not something that is achieved overnight, but these tips can help.

To bed without question

Most of us have an affinity with this topic, we sure have our own anecdotes about bedtime at home. Children make all kinds of excuses and try to prolong their stay awake. However, this is not final, we can change it with dedication and perseverance.

Bedtime according to your age

If we choose the right time for each child, they are more likely to be ready for sleep. Also, it allows them to start developing a habit. At the same time, each age corresponds to a certain amount of sleep per night. To calculate the time to go to bed we can take into account the following rule.

• Children up to two years old should sleep about 13 hours a day
• With five years the period decreases to 11 hours
• When they are nine years old, they already sleep ten hours
• A 14-year-old requires 9 hours of sleep
• Since then, it takes 8 hours to rest

Depending on the activity that the child has during the day, the correct time to rest can be identified. The school routine also defines what time of night is convenient to send them to bed.

Create a nighttime routine

Once we have defined the time to go to sleep, we can plan a routine. Every night when it is time to rest it is advisable to repeat a routine or several. Hygiene habits are ideal at this stage, for example, a warm bath, brushing teeth, combing hair, putting on pajamas. We can also read or sing to them; any activity that allows them to relate the time to going to bed.

Physical activity during the day

A child who drains enough energy during the day will need to rest without forcing him. Therefore, it is convenient for you to do sports, engage in outdoor activities so that at the end of the day you are exhausted. This will also help your sleep to be deep and conciliatory.

Know their motives

Sometimes the child does not want to go to bed for reasons that are real to him. They are not always just excuses or tantrums, but you have some fear or problem. Nighttime fears are common in children, so it is convenient to help them overcome them. Sometimes it’s things in your room, for example a light that bothers you or a shadow that scares you.

Other factors can influence the child to refuse to sleep. Therefore, before forcing them, it is advisable to make sure that they are okay. Cases of illness, school worries, stress or anxiety can cause problems at this time of day.

Avoid punishing him with going to bed

It is common for parents to send their children to bed when they are not behaving well. This may be inappropriate because they will start to associate you with something negative. Furthermore, it is almost impossible for any child not to protest a punishment.

Punishing him with going to bed is also counterproductive to creating good sleep habits, especially if we alter his usual schedule. In the same way, it is convenient that you go to bed relaxed and not moody.

Good sleep is important

Some parents stop fighting with their children and allow them a few extra hours. However, we must know that it is essential that they rest their full hours and in peace. Sometimes it is not so much the time they sleep, but the quality of the rest. They should be the ones who feel the need to go to sleep, but not because of how late it is.

Note that in some particular cases children want to go to bed early. For example, at Christmas when they expect to receive their toys. They also agree to sleep without protest when there are plans for the next day. However, the main reason is still the need to rest.

Just because a child can stay awake with adults late into the night does not mean that they are not tired. Even the most hyperactive child gets tired at some point and needs to sleep. Therefore, it is advisable to be vigilant during the day, to ensure that at night you will be exhausted.

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