How to Get a One-Year-Old Child to Sleep in His Own Bed
According to the Kids Health website run by Nemours Children's Health System, proper sleeping habits can make the difference between an alert, happy family and sluggish, grumpy parents. By the time their children reach the age of one, most parents are ready to have children sleep on their own and sleep through the night. Children often have other ideas, and will throw tantrums and use tactics to avoid going to bed or to sleep with their parents. There are a number of methods you can try to encourage your child to sleep on his own.
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Instructions
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Observe your toddler as the night progresses. Make note of when he starts to show signs of being sleepy. Try to establish a time near this point as his regular bedtime.
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Establish a routine for your child's bedtime; following this routine will help your child get used to the idea that she has to go to bed at the end. Nemours suggests that a toddler's routine take between 15 and 30 minutes to complete; it should involve calming activities such as reading a story, taking a bath or listening to quiet music.
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Help your child establish a safety object in his bed, like a blanket or stuffed animal. A common reason for children to avoid sleeping in their own beds is separation anxiety; he will not feel safe unless you are there. Establish that the safety object will keep him safe in your absence and he will feel better about sleeping alone.
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Encourage your child's sleeping behavior with positive reinforcement. Keep a sticker chart or bowl of small stones in the child's room; each night she sleeps well all on her own, she gets a new sticker or stone. When she collects enough stones, she can get a small toy or special treat at dinner for behaving so well.
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Comfort your child if he really needs you, but do so carefully. When your child is adjusting to sleeping on his own, he will certainly cry. After two minutes, go in and comfort him gently and say goodnight, but don't cuddle or pick him up, or he will think it's okay to get out of bed. If he continues to cry, go in every two minutes a few more times, and then extend the time to five minutes. These brief comforts will show your child that you love him, but will also show him that crying will not get him his way.
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Tips & Warnings
Keeping your child up longer will not help him sleep faster. Children who are overtired can often have an even harder time getting to sleep.
Children may wake up and come to you at night due to dreams. Remember that your child cannot distinguish reality from imagination at this point. Allow your child to talk about the dream and reassure him until he is calm, and then encourage him to go back to his own bed and sleep as soon as possible. Tuck him in again so that he knows everything is safe in his room.
Have patience. Sleeping on his own marks a huge change of pace for your child, and he will need time to adjust. Stick to your methods and after a few weeks, bedtime will become much easier.
Never use your child's crib or bed as a place of punishment. If the child associates that space with punishment, he will never want to go to bed because he will think he is in trouble.
References
- Photo Credit pretty young child sleeping image by les sanders from Fotolia.com
