| It is time for them to go to sleep and for you to | | | | want to tell you, hugs and kisses, and lights out. |
| get some adult down time. Then all of a sudden | | | | Excuses kids use not to go to bed: |
| the laundry list of excuses makes you wonder if | | | | Need a drink of water |
| your child is out to get you somehow! So you | | | | Need to use the bathroom |
| gear up for an hour or so of drinks, bathroom | | | | Monsters in the closet, under the bed, at the |
| trips, things they forgot to tell you during the day, | | | | window. Do not ignore this one. Check out the |
| reassurances that there are no monsters in the | | | | room and reassure your child. If they tend to call |
| closet and on, and on... | | | | you back into the room every night for this one, |
| Provide your child with plenty of physical activity | | | | make it a fun part of the bedtime ritual to check |
| during the day, and move dinner time up. This not | | | | their room |
| only benefits their physical health, it also elevates | | | | Bad dreams |
| their mood. Allow at least a four hour window | | | | Remembering something they needed to tell you |
| between dinner and sleep. They will be better | | | | Don't feel well |
| prepared to both digest their food and the events | | | | Worried about something |
| of the day thoroughly before bed time. | | | | How to handle reluctance to go to bed: |
| Have a set bedtime every night. Get on the | | | | Anticipate what they will ask for and develop a |
| same page as the parents. Here's a rule of thumb | | | | routine that encompasses it. Follow bath time with |
| to consider. Every hour of sleep before midnight | | | | a story, a final trip to the bathroom, hugs & |
| is equal to 4 hours of sleep after the clock strikes | | | | kisses, and a firm but loving good night. If they |
| 12:00am. Everyone will interact better when well | | | | have night rages please treat these "frizzamyer's" |
| rested, including you. | | | | seriously. If additional support is needed get it. |
| Start winding down after dinner. Especially for | | | | Restoring their emotional and spiritual safety now |
| younger children, shut the TV off at dinner time. | | | | will be powerful in giving them a strong sense of |
| Allow them time to interact with you. Once dinner | | | | security later. |
| and cleanup are over, spend some time playing a | | | | Settle the house in for the night. Let the kids see |
| game, talking, taking a walk, going for a swim, | | | | you wind down, too! If the adults are still watching |
| visiting a neighbor, cleaning out the car or checking | | | | TV, keep it low. Keep household noise to a |
| the fluid levels together. Let your family decide | | | | minimum. Lower the phone ringer, keep voices |
| together! | | | | low. Provide your child with a sense of the whole |
| Set bedtime rituals that relax your child and | | | | house beginning to settle in. |
| anticipate their stalling tactics. Drink plenty of | | | | Get firm with yourself too. If you have allowed |
| water up to the dinner hour. Then work toward | | | | your child to sleep with you they have adjusted |
| having more fluids the next day to reduce | | | | to this routine. So give yourself and them |
| bedwetting and midnight potty runs. A relaxing | | | | permission to transition into a new routine. Decide |
| bath or shower, some reading time, a final trip to | | | | in advance what your boundaries will be, and then |
| the bathroom, ask about anything else they might | | | | give them a chance to warm up to it in love. |