One of the biggest torture devices of parenthood is sleepless nights. From the moment you bring your baby home from the hospital until they are of preschool age, you don’t sleep. The only way that you can get some shut eye as a parent, especially a parent of young children, is to take the night shifts one at a time and try and snatch sleep where you can. The trouble with the phrase ‘sleeping while the baby sleeps’, is that when you have other children, housework and a job to do, it just isn’t possible!
Sleep trouble isn’t just a problem for grown-ups. Adults deal with adult problems and are expected to get around six hours of sleep per night to function. You can chop and change furniture to get yourself the good night of sleep that you want, but children are also struggling with sleep. As an exhausted parent, you need to keep up with them in the day time and still keep up that pace at the bedtime battleground. So, how can you get your children sleeping through the night? We’ve got some hacks to get you snoozing soundly all through the night.
Routine, Routine, Routine
A clear routine is key. Having an individualized bedtime that is based on the age of the child, and sticking to it is so important. Children who attend school need around 9-11 hours of sleep per night, but this is going to vary by the personality of the child. It doesn’t matter how early your children go to sleep, or how late, it doesn’t often change the wake-up time! Learn your child and their pattern so that you can guarantee that they wake up happy.
Space Matters
The space your children sleep in matters a lot. You can’t hope to have children sleeping through the night with bold and bright colours all around the room and a bed that isn’t comfortable. You need to do the right research into beds, mattresses and bedding so that you have the best and most supportive space for a good sleep. You can learn about Mattress-Guides.net here and work out what your children will need for their room. Don’t forget to add blackout blinds or curtains so that you can keep out the light!
Consistency Is Key
If you set a bedtime and a set routine of bath, drink and bed, you need to stick to it as closely as possible. Knowing what comes next creates a security blanket for children, and if you are consistent then they can go to sleep comfortably.
No Screens
Blue light technology has a lot to answer for, and we are raising our children in a technologically fulfilled environment. Two hours before bedtime, turn off the tablets and smartphones. Ensure that screens stay out of the bedroom, and you can be sure that your children can cope with sleeping longer at night.
Getting children to sleep through the night isn’t always easy, but if you are good with routine, you can get there!
I completely agree on everything on this list! Such a great read!