When it's time for kids to go to sleep, it's amazing how creative they can become in trying to find ways to stay awake and out of their room. Now that the beginning of the school year is right around the corner, it's always a challenge to push back the bedtime that has steadily crept up later and later during summer break. It may be difficult at first to get kids back on schedule, but with some creative strategies and a firm resolve, kids will be going to bed without hassle by the time school begins.
Try a white noise machine:
This is a truly amazing invention! Most kids want to stay awake at night because they don't want to miss out on what is going on in the house. Even when they're in their rooms trying to relax, they can still hear the television and conversations in other parts of the house. A white noise machine eliminates this problem by actually absorbing or masking household sounds.
Though the sound emitted by a white noise machine is similar to a fan, it's actually made up of every sound audible to the human ear. Thus, one individual sound or voice is "absorbed" by the white noise machine sound just as one voice in crowd is indistinguishable. In addition to absorbing the sound, the fan-like noise generated by the white noise machine is very comforting and relaxing.
Lots and lots of exercise:
As every parent understands all too well, kids have an abundance of energy. If they don't expend that energy during the day, they are likely to have trouble falling asleep at night. Even if kids are exhausted in the morning from not getting enough sleep the night before, they can still be wound up by bedtime if they haven't gotten any exercise that day.
It's not the best idea to do lots of exercise right before bed because it will have the opposite effect. However, aerobic exercise like swimming or racket ball 4-5 hours before bed can have them ready to hit the pillow by the time bedtime arrives. Consider getting your kids involved in a local gym or youth center that has access to fun aerobic activities. Not only will they be more alert during school hours from more restful sleep, they'll be getting fit at the same time.
A nightly warm lavender bath:
Hot baths don't just seem relaxing; they really do have a physiological effect on the body. The warm water slows the heart rate and relaxes the muscles, which is why you feel so relaxed and sleepy in a warm bath. Adding natural lavender scent to a bath increases that feeling of relaxation, calms nervous tension, and promotes sound sleep.
The number one way to eliminate the bedtime battle is to establish a ritual and stick with it no matter what. Even though they may object at first, having a ritual is comforting to both kids and adults. So whether you choose to use a white noise machine, to establish an exercise habit, to draw a warm fragrant bath, or all of the above, make a commitment to stick to your plan and you'll be surprised at how quickly things can turn around!
