Developing sleep rituals: How to succeed
Your child can’t or doesn’t want to fall asleep? Fixed bedtime rituals and a constant sequence can help him to find the necessary rest. We have put together a few tips for you on how to make your evening bedtime with rituals.
Most parents know the problem: many children find it difficult to say goodbye to the exciting day. They are restless, do not want mom or dad to leave the nursery or are still cheerful late in the evening. Especially during the so-calledgrowth spurts, children can be more restless than usual. Putting the little ones to bed can get complicated.
Sleep rituals can help in these situations. They give your child security and help him to get in the mood for the upcoming slumber time. Through the regularity of the bedtime rituals, children can learn that they do not have to be afraid of night and darkness and fall asleep calmly. If you follow them consistently, sleep rituals can save you a lot of discussion and trouble in the future. At about six months, your child is old enough to perform fixed rituals with him. Of course, the bedtime rituals change with advancing age.
Developing bedtime rituals
It is important that you determine the ritual from the outset and always let it run the same. For example, always leave it at just one story and don’t let your child persuade you to do another one. Older children in particular like to try to prolong the ritual. It is important to establish regularity, because this makes the evening routine predictable and familiar for your child.
Goodnight ritual in the same order
A bedtime ritual starts with the usual evening activities such as eating, undressing, washing, changing diapers and brushing your teeth. Make sure that these activities take place every evening in the same order and at the same time if possible. This is how routine sets in and your child knows that it’s bedtime. Only in the last few minutes before the lights go out, it goes into the cozy part of the ritual. This should definitely be quiet and not too exciting. Romping around or too exciting stories only stir up your child unnecessarily and then make it difficult for him to fall asleep. The following actions have already proven themselves with many children:
- Cuddling, rocking in the cradle or winding the music box is especially suitable for the very young.
- Many children from about one year of age find it great to look at a picture book together.
- Reading aloud is certainly one of the most popular rituals, which is particularly suitable for the older ones from the age of two or three. Reading aloud can also have a positive effect on your child’s mental development, because it stimulates the imagination and promotes the ability to speak. Often children, who are often read to, later develop into bookworms. In our”Children’s Books” section you will find many helpful tips on when you can use which books and how you and your child can have fun while reading.
- Auditioning or singing together is also a very nice ritual that almost all children love. Many still remember as adults the songs that were sung to them as a child. In our section “Children’s songs” and in the article “The most popular lullabies” you will find many ideas for common songs.
- Television is recommended at the earliest from kindergarten age. The show you watch with your child should be short and child-friendly, such as the Sandman.
- A pacifier can also make it easier for your child to fall asleep in the first year of life. However, it should only get it if it really only needs the pacifier to fall asleep or, if it is already a little older, can find the pacifier itself at night if it loses it. Otherwise, there is a risk that the pacifier will develop into an unfavorable sleep habit, which can result in your child crying at night if he can no longer find the pacifier. You can find more information about pacifiers in our topic area “pacifiers“.
- Cuddly toys and towels also help children fall asleep. For his safety, however, you should not leave them to sleep before the beginning of the second year of life. Why you can find out in our article “9 tips for a good sleeping environment“.
Ending the sleep ritual clearly and decisively
Just like the beginning of the ritual, the end should always be the same and clearly signal to your child that, for example, with “lights out” and the goodnight kiss, the time has come to sleep. Again, you should show determination so that your child does not feel animated to delay falling asleep a little longer. If your child expresses the desire to leave the door open a crack, you can do so without hesitation. Because light and familiar sounds can also make falling asleep easier.