How To Establish A Healthy Bedtime Routine For Kids: Mister Sleepy

We all know as parents that a healthy bedtime routine for kids is essential for their growth and development. Not to mention, when kids are sleeping well, that means we are sleeping well too! This is why a lot of us strive to find ways in making our little ones sleep well.

This post is sponsored by the creators of Mister Sleepy, an excellent bedtime storybook for children. Mister Sleepy talks about an adorable cartoon character that slept his way throughout the things he was doing. It is a great book to establish bedtime routines through reading and to teach the value of following your dreams. Find out about Mister Sleepy here.

Bedtime routine for kids: My personal experience

A lot of veteran parent friends warned me about losing sleep when you have a young child, but I guess they didn’t warn me more! I didn’t know how many sleepless nights I can have, especially within the first year of being a first-time mom.

Thus, I looked for ways on how to have a bedtime routine for toddlers so my little one can get rested, and I will get better sleep as well. Here are some of the tips that definitely worked for us.

Bedtime routine for kids: Tips that work

Make bedtime reading a habit

Instead of screens, make bedtime reading a way to establish a routine and to strengthen sleep cues. Children learn by association–when they associate bedtime reading with feeling sleepy, it will be easier to put them down for the night.

Mister Sleepy is a great book to start with this routine. This is because the story is captivating, but mellow enough to make your little one fall asleep. Mister Sleepy can also be used to establish a healthy nap time for children with its interesting and highly detailed illustrations.

Take note of wake windows

What are wake windows? These are the times that your little one is able to stay awake especially within the day. As they get older, children’s wake windows tend to be longer.

Taking note of wake windows helps give your child a more fulfilling sleep rather than making them overtired or under-tired. When you make a child go down to bed past their wake window, they tend to be more challenging to fall asleep. Under-tired children will wake up earlier than their usual nap or sleep schedule.

You can find a reference of wake windows online especially for younger children.

Use phrases and statements referring to sleep

I know this sounds really common-sense, but a lot of parents don’t take advantage of this powerful trick. Using ideas, phrases, and statements referring to sleep sends the subconscious mind signals to fall asleep.

This is why guided meditation works for many of us. The reason why “sleep” or “fall sleep” is used repetitively is that it taps into the subconscious brain to actually become sleepy.

The same principle can be applied to children, but not exactly through meditation. How? By using bedtime stories of course! Mister Sleepy is one of those books that can make your child fall asleep because it talks about sleeping throughout most of its pages. Isn’t that amazing? Not only do you get a book that teaches a valuable lesson about following one’s dreams, but you can also use it as a tool to instill thoughts about falling asleep.

Have a predictable pattern of bedtime routine activities

Last, but definitely not the least to help in establishing a healthy bedtime routine for kids is to have a predictable set of things to do.

For example, a night time routine with me and my toddler includes:

• Changing diapers
• Brushing teeth
• Changing onto pajamas or shirt
• Turning down the lights
• Reading 2-3 books
• Drinking milk
• Sleep

This definitely worked for us to help him fall asleep quickly. Each routine may be different for parents and children, and you have to find a rhythm that works exactly for you. Doing this routine day-in and day-out will strengthen sleep cues for your child.

That’s all! I hope you find these tips helpful. I encourage you to check out Mister Sleepy and include it as a part of your bedtime routine for kids. Click here to buy in Amazon or through the picture below.

Also read:

• Toilet Training For Toddlers and Bedwetting? Oopsie Heroes Alarm System
• Virtual Learning Tips For Parents: Demby’s Playful Parables

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