AppId is over the quota
I love my children very much, however I do look forward to a few hours in the evening where my husband and I can have a chat or read a book or watch a TV programme without interruptions. I therefore value the time after I have put my children to bed. A good night's sleep is also good for children. Every parent will have experienced the tired, irritated child and know that the bad behaviour they are displaying is solely due to the fact that they are tired.
Advice on Bedtime Routines.
1. Wind Down Time: The whole bedtime routine experience should be about unwinding. Children need an hour to help them relax and get ready for sleep.
2. Routine: As long as you observe the key principles of winding down and chilling out then it doesn't matter how you do it so long as it is a routine that your child recognises as a signal for going to bed.
Please remember that bedtime routines do not just happen and there is no magic answer. It will take time and practise to establish a bedtime routine, however once it has been achieved, the process of your child going to bed will become a whole lot easier.
The following ideas are from the bedtime routine we have in our house.
Watch a Children's Programme: Generally and as a professional I would say no TV during the wind down hour, however part of our routine is watching 'In The Night Garden' on CBeebies, which my 2-year-old loves. Whilst this is on I run a bath and tidy up the living room of children's toys.
Have a Bath: I use this time to talk to my children about their day and we also sing some songs. I have bought and tried the bedtime bubble bath and soap and do not find it makes any difference with my children, however the lavender scent may work for you children.
Drink: If your child suffers from enuresis (nighttime wetting) you may not want to do this. I usually make my children a hot milky drink, which helps me to ensure they are getting enough milk in their diet.
Toilet and Teeth: Need I say anymore!
Bedtime Story: This is my children's favourite part of the routine. They each choose a story and we read it, sometimes there is a fight as to whose story we read first or whose bedroom we do it in so I make a mental note of whose turn it is.
Cuddle, Kiss and 'I Love You': Goes without saying!
Music: This is frowned upon and as a professional I wouldn't advise it, however both my children like to have something on in the background as they go to sleep. My oldest doesn't like being upstairs himself and we allowed a story CD to play in his room as he was going to sleep and this helped him to not feel scared. Our 2-year-old likes to listen to Classic FM. My rules to the children are that it is either a short story or classical music. I will also mention that both of them will go to sleep without the CD player when they wake up during the night and also when we are away.
I find that the children take ownership of the routine once it is established and they feel part of it. They can do this by getting their night clothes and choosing their bedtime story. I have used Sticker Rewards Charts in the past to help settle the children into the bedtime routine. I also use this method when we go on holidays or have come back form holidays to ensure that the routine is maintained.
It is important that children at school go to bed at a reasonable time to ensure that they get enough sleep for school. I tend to let my children stay up an hour or so later at the weekend, with them going to bed between 8 and 9 pm. However we try wherever possible to keep to the routine.
My website offers advice and tips on everyday parenting with product and children's book reviews.
http://thegoodparentguide.com/
You can follow me on twitter @Good Parent Guide
I also have a Facebook page called
The Good Parent Guide http://www.facebook.com/#!/thegoodparentguide
Please like the page if you would like to keep updated on future articles and post that I do.
沒有留言:
張貼留言