Bedtime is often seen as the holy grail of parenting, and it is a time that every mom looks forward to. While mom loves her children and enjoys spending some time with them, they look forward to having a break.
For many moms, the only break that comes is at bedtime. The time mom puts her kids to bed, she knows that she has a couple of hours to herself before she has to go to bed to get up and do it all over again. This is also helpful because by the time bedtime rolls around, mom’s tank is usually running empty, and her patience may be thinning.
The worst thing that can happen at bedtime is when mom has children who refuse to go to sleep. They either fight sleep, ask for a million stories and glasses of water, or they are constantly getting out of bed. Mom may wonder if there are things she is doing wrong. While moms are only doing the best they can, there may be 10 things they are accidentally doing that could make bedtime worse.
10 Lingering
This is one that a lot of moms may be doing, and that is lingering with their children until they fall asleep. According to Psychology Today, this can cause the common problem of a child who falls asleep quickly but gets up often throughout the night. They get used to you being there, and when they wake up and don’t see you, they need you there again.
9 Cut Out The Extras
This is a common problem that a lot of parents have to deal with, and that is the million requests for something to drink, stories, and anecdotes before they agree to go to sleep. The problem comes when mom gives in to these demands, but it is understandable. Mom just wants her child to go to sleep, and she is willing to do anything.
8 Too Much Screen Time
Screen time has been a hot topic of debate among parents, and the right amount has always been discussed, but it could be making bedtime worse. According to Very Well Family, letting children have screen time right before bedtime can be damaging, and it could be preventing them from going to sleep. Screen time is fine, but cut it out about an hour before your kids go to bed.
7 No Bedtime Routine
Bedtime routines are important for children of all ages, not just babies. If there is an abrupt change in the night, and suddenly children are off to bed, it can be hard for them to fall asleep. Their body and rhythm have not had the chance to prepare for bed, so they may have a harder time falling asleep. Doing bedtime routines helps get their body ready for bed.
6 Consistency
Along with a good bedtime routine, bedtime should be about the same every single night. While there are times occasionally when children stay up later, the norm should be a bedtime that is the same every night. This is another thing that can help their body get ready for bed.
5 Caffeine
While not many parents are actually giving their child coffee at night, caffeine can be found in other foods and parts of their diet, and this can interfere with their bedtime. If a child’s bedtime snack contains chocolate, there may be too much caffeine in that snack which makes it harder for them to fall asleep.
4 Getting Energized
While we want our children to have fun, and burn off some of that energy, getting them hyped up before bed can make it hard for them to fall asleep. Kids should be in a relaxed state before bed, and that is why having quiet time at night is a good idea, and can help children unwind for bed.
3 Handling Bad Dreams
If a child is prone to nightmares, it can impact their sleep if mom does not intervene. According to WebMD, if a child has a lot of nightmares, it could make them fearful of going to bed at night, and this could delay bedtime. Try a nightlight or a soothing story before bed. If your child is afraid of “monsters” under the bed, use monster spray before bed (just water in a spray bottle).
2 Is The Room Too Dry?
When the weather is cold outside, indoors can get pretty dry, and mom has to make sure that she is checking that. If her child coughs a lot before bed or needs a lot of water, the air in their room could be too dry. Mom may want to put a humidifier in the bedroom to help them sleep quicker.
1 Their Sleep Space
Mom may want to take a quick look at her child’s room to make sure that it is set up for sleep. The room should be dark at night, a sound machine can help them focus on sleep, and make sure nothing too stimulating is going on. If the room is set up for sleep, her child should not have many problems.
Sources: Psychology Today, Very Well Family, WebMD