- 1). Create an inviting environment for sleep. Comfortable, uncluttered bedrooms are easier to fall asleep in, and limiting distractions is important as well. No TV, video games or computers. Limit toys to a special one for bedtime, preferably something soft and cuddly.
- 2). Make sure the child has plenty of active play earlier in the day, and that the activity level is lowered as bedtime approaches to ensure an easier transition to sleep.
- 3). Establish a schedule and routine for sleep. Of course, some nights it may not be possible to keep to an exact minute to minute schedule, but keeping consistent will help your child sleep better. Also, have a routine that may include bath, songs or stories. Keep it simple, though.
- 4). Use lighting to signal to the body when sleep should occur. Use bright light in the morning to help children wake, and gradually bring down the lights at night. Don't allow a child to sleep with lights on, except maybe a nightlight, as light interferes with sleep. Also, some children sleep better with white noise, like a fan or something of that sort.
- 5). Make sure the child goes to the bathroom before bed, and don't allow caffeine anytime after mid-afternoon. Both a full bladder or caffeine will interfere with sleep.
- 6). Discover what fears the child is dealing with about bedtime, such as fear of the dark, monsters, separation or whatever and address them with the child by providing a nightlight, allowing the child to have something special of yours to hold at night, and so on. As the child conquers the fears and sleeps through the night, make sure to praise your child.
How to Help Children Learn to Go to Sleep on Their Own
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