Calming Bedtime Tips For Children
Sadly more and more children are struggling to relax, switch off and go to bed more calmly. Babies and kids are exposed to so many different types of stimulation. It is not a surprise parents are finding it more and more of a challenge to get children and teenagers to go to bed never mind go to sleep at a reasonable time.
But there are various simple bedtime tips for children that can encourage a more calm and co-operative bedtime.
Calming Bedtime Tips For Children
1. Have a Bedtime Routine, a routine helps set boundaries and clarity of what should happen each night.
2. Begin a bedtime routine at least 30 minutes before bed but preferably an hour.
3. A bedtime routine involves reduces external and internal stimulants so soften the lightning, reduce any sounds or better switch off all TV, mobile phones, computers, radios etc
4. Encourage a relaxing bath in the routine if possible, or a foot massage. For young kids a few drops of lavender is ideal. For children over 12 yrs old a few drops of lavender with 1 drop of frankincense in their bath is deeply relaxing. For over 12’s who suffer nightmares a few drops of lavender and 1 drop of ylang ylang pure essential oil. Can help encourage dreams rather than nightmares.
5. Blackout blinds or dark curtains are well worth the buy if light distracts or wakes up a light sleeper. So is an eye mask and/or earplugs.
6. Encourage relaxing hobbies before bed rather than stimulating tv, homework or studying. My Quiet Time For Families is a powerful program designed to help parents introduce more quiet time into a busy and chaotic family, more easily.
7. Reduce all food stimulants such as sugar, aspartame, caffeine too as early in the day as possible, if a child is having a treat encourage it before 3pm, so the stimulant is still not active in the body at bedtime.
8. Sleep Guided Meditations also known as Guided Visualisations can be extremely helpful at encouraging children to go to bed and to helps kids achieve deep sleep. A relaxing story/ guided visualisation such as our Guardian Angel MP3 -Guided Meditation for young children. Or our Golden Sand Sleep mp3 which is in the Quiet Time For Families Course .
9. Muscle relaxation technique such as our Progressive Muscle Relaxation Technique available as an mp3 download is ideal for older children and young adults.
Nurturing A Calm Child
A healthy bedtime routine helps nurture a calm child, a healthy child. Babies, Children and Teenagers need deep quality sleep for not just their development, but for their mental, physical and emotional wellbeing.
A tired child and exhausted child often leads to an emotional child, an exhausted child, a fragile child, an anxious or stressed out child.
Encouraging a healthy sleep routine should be an important part of your family routine.
