Sleep Archives - The Parenting Cafe

Go to Bed! – How to Get Children to Stay in Bed

April 27, 2020/in 1 - 3 Years, 3 - 5 Years, Intellectual, Language, Social - Emotional /by Sonja Preston

Okay, so you’ve read three stories, tucked them in, kissed them goodnight and switched off the light.

Just as you settle into the comfy chair with a cuppa… “Mum, I’m thirsty” or “Dad, I just need to tell you something” or even little footsteps coming down the hall!

How do we get children to stay in bed once you’ve completed the bed-time routine? (As a reminder, a routine generally is something like… Bath, milk, teeth brushing, toilet, stories, kisses and cuddles.)

Basically the answer is consistency. Once a child is put to bed, with the established bed-time routine, then you follow through with consistency. If a child gets out of bed, you take their hand, walk them back to bed, tuck them in, saying “It’s bed-time”. If they get up again, you repeat. And repeat as many times as is necessary. Once you try to rationalise (“you’ll be tired in the morning”; you’ve already had a glass of milk”; “you should have eaten more dinner”) – then you have opened the door, for the child to engage in a conversation. They will feel the need to justify how hungry they are, or how important it is to tell you something – which then leads you to reply, and so it goes on.

All I want for Christmas is…

December 2, 2019/in 1 - 3 Years, 3 - 5 Years, 4 - 12 Months, Birth - 3 Months, Intellectual, Parents, Social - Emotional /by Sonja Preston

So want do you say to yourself at this time?

Yahhhh I love Christmas;
It’s so expensive;
I can’t want for it to be over;
I love watching the kids faces on Christmas morning;
Family disagreements – no thanks;
I love family get togethers, especially Christmas;
I love the excitement and special treats.

Which ever sentiments you have about Christmas, the reality is it is approaching fast! What can we do to make it a pleasant, positive experience for children and families? Here’s some ideas…

How You Can Establish Healthy Sleeping Patterns

September 2, 2019/in 1 - 3 Years, 3 - 5 Years, 4 - 12 Months, Birth - 3 Months, Social - Emotional /by Sonja Preston

You know how great you feel after a good nights sleep… You smile more, you have the energy to take on the day with enthusiasm, and you cope better if things don’t go well. Isn’t that what we want for our children too? Whilst we can’t make children sleep, we can create an environment that is conducive to sleep.

A good nights sleep assists the growth and development of a healthier body, a better concentration and attention span, improved strength and co-ordination, and more emotional balance.

A good nights sleep also makes the next day better for both parents and children!

It is important to establish good sleep routines early in a baby’s life, so that they quickly learn ‘how’ to go to sleep. It is even easier for the child to learn this, when the adults are consistent with the routine – regardless of whether it is Mum or Dad who are preparing the child for bed. When you follow the same routine each night, you establish a pattern in the child which gets them ready for sleep. Does it mean they will be happy about it – no, not necessarily! But, who is the one who knows how much sleep children need, and what they will be like without it… You! Young children generally do not know when they are tired. It’s rare for a child to say “Yes” when asked “Do you want to go to bed?” As adults we are the responsible ones!

When Do I Move my Toddler into a Bed?

April 8, 2019/in 1 - 3 Years, 3 - 5 Years, Parents /by Luke Hopkins

This is a question many parents wonder about. There is no ‘right’ time to move them into a bed, and your decision may be based on a variety of things….

You may have a new baby arriving and know that they will only sleep in a bassinet for the first few months;
You may be concerned that your toddler is attempting to climb out of their cot;
The toddler may be indicating that they want a big bed like their sister/ brother/ cousin, or
You may be renovating and want to include the child’s bedroom in that.

There are many reasons ‘why’ you might want to move them. From a safety point of view, they can stay in the cot until they are getting too big for it, or until they start to climb out – as then they may be at risk of falling or injury.

Whatever your reason for moving them, here are a few suggestions to make the transition easier:

9 Tips for New Mums

December 5, 2016/in 4 - 12 Months, Birth - 3 Months, Parents /by Sonja Preston

So, you’ve recently had a baby. Congratulations!

You know when you started a new role at work, people understood that it would take you a little while to settle in, and there would be someone whom you could ask for help – a support person.

Mmmm not sure that always happens with Parenthood!

So, what can you do to make the first few weeks, or months much smoother so that you have a happy baby and Mum!

Firstly, take any help that is offered, whether it is cooking meals, doing the washing, house cleaning or helping with shopping. This is a wonderful blessing and will allow you a little time to rest…. which is the second thing….

Sleep or rest whenever you can. It’s normal for newborns to wake several times during the night for a feed, which means you get disrupted sleep. To reduce the chances of you feeling like a zombie for weeks, take a nap during the day when the baby does. Don’t just rest in front of the TV, actually lie down on the bed and sleep. Yes, there may be things you ‘need’ to do, but maybe every second day is catch up on sleep day. It can be done – especially if you are fortunate enough to have family or friends who can help out with household tasks.

The Importance of a Good Night’s Sleep

April 25, 2016/in 1 - 3 Years, 3 - 5 Years /by Sonja Preston

Even before we were parents we’ve had experience of poor sleep… thinking too much, worried about something, being disturbed by a snoring partner etc. We often felt tired the next day, and then hopefully caught up on sleep the following night. However if the lack of sleep continues, our tiredness increases, and even when we sleep, it’s not great sleep, and as a result we may be grumpy the next day, or unable to focus on our work.

Once we become parents, sleep often becomes our most desired thing. Nights feeding a newborn, or toddlers with poor sleep habits often leads to huge stress on the parent, and the toddlers!

If you have a newborn who needs those night time feeds (as they do), then it’s important to schedule in some sleep for you the next day when bubs is having a sleep – even a 20 minute cat nap can work miracles!

With a toddler it is vital that you help them learn good sleep patterns, otherwise Read more

Posts

When Do I Move my Toddler into a Bed?

9 Tips for New Mums

The Importance of a Good Night’s Sleep

Get in touch