Bedtime. Does the very word
strike fear into your heart? Don’t worry; you aren’t alone. Many
parents dread the nightly bedtime ritual. This is especially true for parents
of preschoolers who are worried about leaving their children alone in the night
but getting a little bit desperate for some rest of their own. Establishing
healthy bedtime routines can help make that part of the night go more smoothly.
In fact, healthy bedtime routines can even make getting ready for bed a fun
family activity. Believe it or not, bedtime doesn’t have to be bad time.
| The first thing that you should know about establishing bedtime routines for your family is that there is no “right” way to do this. What you need to do is figure out what is going to work best for your family, given your particular schedule and needs and then to work out a routine that makes sense around that. Since all families eat dinner at different times, have different homework and activities needs for older children and go to bed at different times, the specifics of what your family will do for their bedtime routines will depend on those factors. |
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The phrase In general, This is also |
| Some parents remain in the room with their children until they fall asleep. Others have lights out at a certain time and then the parents proceed to their own nighttime activities. What works for your family may depend on the age and needs of your child, your parenting techniques and your own nighttime activities. Just remember that you’re establishing a routine that will let your children wind down and know that bedtime is approaching. This should prevent a lot of the problems which make bedtime “bad time” for some families. |
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I actually enjoy our bedtime routine. After the baby goes to bed my preschool-aged boys get their pajamas on. After teeth are brushed we sit on their beds and read a couple of stories. Since they usually still have some energy to burn we let them play their Leapsters for about 15 minutes and then they go to sleep on their own. Sometimes we sit and talk with them while they play. This is often my favorite time of the day because they tell me their silliest stories. This routine has worked very well for us, and because we do it every night they don’t even question it.