There is not a single parent in the world who would not like to have their kid go to sleep early and wake up fresh in the morning. Unfortunately, most kids in the age group of 2-5 years is a bed resister. But as doctors say, at this age range, your kids experience so many things all at once. Processing everything they see around leaves them fascinated.
So one reason why your kids might not want to sleep early is because they want to look around more. They want to learn more things. But not getting enough sleep can affect their health and daily activities. And it can be a problem for parents as well.
Here are some tips on helping your toddler sleep early:
1. Slowly shift their bedtime or wake up time
Try to achieve this when the days are shorter and nights are longer. Reduce their bedtime half an hour every 5 to 7 days, so that they won’t notice that you are making them sleep earlier in one shot. Also since the days are shorter, they will feel that it’s night time and soon mom or dad will come and tuck them in. It is a slow process, but you will see gradually that it’s worth it and soon your child will develop the habit of sleeping at your desired time.
2. Eliminate the nap time or reduce it
Make sure that your child does not take a nap after 3 pm, because if he does, there is no way he is going to sleep at 8 pm or 7pm. Some children do not need nap time while some do. If you remove the nap time, then your child will likely sleep at 8 pm after the tiring day. If you can’t eliminate it then make sure that your child takes a nap before 2 pm.
3. Physical Fun
Rather than making your child play at home, take him outside to a nearby garden or park where he can play with other kids. Let him have some type of physical exercise like running, climbing on small ladder, playing with other kids. All these activities will make your child tired and exhausted. But, remember the key point here is to choose the suitable time to take him outside. Choose the 6 to 7 pm time frame and after returning home, give him some food, a nice bath and then he will eventually feel sleepy.
4. Stick with the family routine
Follow the family routine daily and your child will adjust his sleep window according to that. Doctors say that they have a virtual alarm clock in their mind. When you follow the routine, then their mind will daily setup like it’s time for food, it’s time for bed and automatically everything will get sorted out.
If all these tips still doesn’t get your little one sleep earlier then not to worry, doctors say that this resistance follows till they are 3 years old after that the urge of freedom fades away and they start listening to you.