Tide Clocks

Archive for August, 2007

When my oldest, now 8 years old, was about 2 or 3, I remember asking our pediatrician where her “off” button was. He laughed and smiled and said, ” If I knew that, I’d be a millionaire and retired right now!” And if I knew the answer, I would be a better-rested mommy and retired and wealthy as well!  My two kids are as different as night and day. One has always fought sleep with all his might, and the other will fall asleep on the drop of a dime. But the act of FALLING asleep, which causes so many problems for parents worldwide; is a matter of habit. All kids, no matter how difficult they may be, can learn it. They can even learn to STAY asleep! The single most important thing you can do is to GET IN A ROUTINE for bedtime! All children are different, but they all crave routine! It lets them know what’s coming next, in what order, and what time. Here are some ideas to help you on your way to hassle free bedtimes! 1. Quiet Time. At my house, quiet time starts about an hour, hour and a half before bedtime. This means no more cartoons or rambunctious play, its quiet play and books. We have dinner, baths, quiet play, desert, brush teeth, story time then bed. If daddy comes home in the middle of quiet time, encourage him to bond by reading a book rather then tossing them in the air and having a tickle war. 2. Whatever your routine, follow it EVERY night. If you are having a babysitter come to watch the children, make sure you write down what needs to be done when. Your sitter will appreciate it! The children will feel safe and comfortable in their predictable routine as well! 3. Just as adults have a “biological clock” that tells us when to go to bed, so do children. Most toddlers do best with an earlier bedtime - 7pm seems to be the norm in our house. If they stay up later than that, they get their second wind, and falling asleep will be much more difficult. Make sure to dim the lights in the house about an hour before bedtime and keep to slow calm routines. This will help set their clock and tell their bodies its time to rest.