One of the greatest difficulties as a mom is getting your baby to settle down before bed. Each child is different, so it does take some trial and error to identify the issue. Although it can feel frustrating, it is important to remember that it is part of your child’s development, and it is tough for them too. Consider these tips to improve your toddler’s sleep cycle and enjoy some well-deserved mom time.
Tackling the Tantrums
A common cause of a delayed bedtime is due to tantrums. These are sometimes predictable if the baby is tired, hungry, or overstimulated. Other times, the tantrum is unexpected and difficult to contain. Toddlers are continuing to grow and develop emotions which are difficult to communicate with minimal verbal skills. Consider prioritizing this approach:
- Attune to Your Child’s Feelings
Being in tune with the child’s emotions allows parents to recognize the buildup of a tantrum and intervene to deescalate the situation. By doing so, tantrums can significantly be reduced.
- Help Your Child Stay Calm
Stress is a common trigger for tantrums in toddlers, so it is important to create a plan for when the child is tired, hungry, or facing a new situation. For instance, keeping snacks at the ready and a comforting teddy to make them feel at home.
- Give Your Child Some Control
When children are given a sense of agency, with age-appropriate choices like deciding between outfits or food, this can prevent tantrums. It can be difficult to let go of control when being used to managing everything, but it can be beneficial for building a positive relationship with toddlers.
Keeping this in mind can help to reduce the chance of a baby tantrum before sleep and overcome daily challenges. However, persistent eruptive tantrums which become aggressive and are difficult to deescalate might require outside help from a professional, such as an online child therapist for easy access and quick support.
Adopt Healthy Habits
Parents have a responsibility to form a positive routine for the child, whilst they are incapable of enforcing this. This is because stability can reduce the likelihood of overtiredness, hunger, and negative associations with trying new things. By adopting healthy habits, a toddler’s sleep cycle can be improved. Consider making these changes when looking to adopt healthy habits:
- Have consistent breakfast, lunch, and dinner times
- Provide a healthy diet
- Schedule regular physical activity
- Get creative with arts and crafts
- Communicate regularly
- Limit screen time
- Run a bubble bath in the evening
- Read every night before bed
By tackling the toddler tantrums and adopting healthy habits into your child’s routine, you will notice a dramatic improvement in their sleep cycle. This is because the main causes of tantrums before bed and difficulty falling and staying asleep are often overlooked. By making simple changes to build a positive relationship with your toddler and provide them with stability, the family can overcome daily challenges. However, if you are concerned about your child and require additional guidance, do not hesitate to reach out to medical or mental healthcare professionals.
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