How to Put Your Child to Bed Without Tears
Exhausted parents often look for solutions to help their children sleep at night. Many methods of sleep training involve letting your child "cry it out," a process that distresses children and that parents may find traumatic as well. Although different children may require different training tactics, with patience, preparation and consistency you can train your child to sleep without causing tears, tantrums and anxiety.
- Difficulty:
- Moderate
Instructions
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1
Ensure your child gets enough exercise during the day. Children who are sedentary may not sleep as well as rambunctious kids.
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2
Adjust nap time, if necessary. A child who naps late in the day or whose naps last too long may not be tired at bedtime.
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3
Switch from wild activities like running around the backyard to quiet ones like reading a story, playing with modeling clay or coloring after dinner. Children who are wound up may find it impossible to go to bed, and these activities will help calm them.
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4
Create a consistent bedtime routine. Include a bath, dressing in pajamas, brushing teeth, reading a story and a goodnight kiss. These activities will soon cue even young children that bedtime is imminent.
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5
Set a regular bedtime. A child with a consistent bedtime will wake around the same time each morning and will nap at a regular time as well. This will prevent over-tiredness that can make it difficult for your little one to drift off in the evening.
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6
Make the bedroom a comfortable environment. Ensure that your child's room is safe, cozy and quiet. Provide a nightlight, soft music or spray a fine mist of water -- or "monster spray" -- around the room to calm a frightened child.
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7
Stay with your child as he gets settled in bed. Offer a kiss, a hug and one additional request, such as a glass of water, then leave the room. If your child protests, tell him you will return in a few minutes.
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8
Return to the room and soothe your child, then leave for a few more minutes and return again. Repeat this process until your child is asleep.
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9
Lengthen the amount of time your child is alone in her room by a minute or two each night.
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10
Adjust the routine according to your needs. A toddler may scream when you leave the room. Rock her to sleep for one week, lay her in bed and rub her back the second week, hold her hand the third week, sit by the bedroom door the fifth week and try leaving the room on the sixth week.
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1
Tips & Warnings
If your attempts at a peaceful bedtime persist, your child may be overtired; try putting your child to bed 30 minutes earlier.
Children who are consistently rocked or fed as they fall asleep may have difficulty self-soothing; they may require you to feed or rock them if they wake in the night.
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