Ways to Encourage Your Child to Sleep

The sleep requirement of children is much more than adults. Adults need about seven to eight hours of sleep (we are able to do with less, if required) but even older children and teenagers require about nine to ten hours of sleep daily. Here are some parenting tips to encourage your child to sleep and develop healthy sleeping habits.

Make a Bedtime Routine

According to experts, a consistent nightly routine such as brushing teeth, having a bath, changing clothes, and story time encourage your child to sleep well; doing this consistently will help your child get ready for bed without fuss. Make sure that whatever you do, both you and your child enjoy and he feels relaxed.  This will make him feel sleepy and ready for bed.

Create a Safe Environment

If your child is afraid of dark or afraid to sleep in his room then he will resist sleeping or have sleep problems such as repeated awakenings at night, and nightmares. Make his room safe and comfortable for good night sleep (like have night lamp if he is afraid of dark), reassure him that you are in the next room and will be with him when needed.

Eliminate Entertainment before Bedtime

Make the night time environment conducive to sleep like make his room quiet and comfortable without distractions (such as TV or computer), do not let him watch TV or play for some time before bedtime--- kids love these activities so naturally he will not like to go to bed.  Put him to bed and read a story or play soft music if your child likes it, switch on dim lights in his room. All these activities are relaxing and make the child feel sleepy.

Encourage Healthy Exercise & Meals

Children are full of energy and need to spend it. Make his day busy and full of activity such as take him to park to play, play at home, or send him for some activity class. This way, your child will have fun and spend the energy that prevents them from sleeping at night. Most importantly limit his TV and computer time. Let your child have a healthy dinner and avoid juices, cakes, chocolates and colas before bedtime. Avoid sources of caffeine in your child's diet like chocolate, coffee-containing desserts, or sodas. According to experts, many children have one caffeinated beverage daily and consequently lose on the sleep.

Sleep helps the child’s body to recover from the day's tiredness. The brain to consolidate newly acquired knowledge and information, and also refreshes the body physically and mentally for the next day. If your child does not sleep well then it will cause unhealthy daytime behaviour (such as being overtired, sleepy, or irritable). So every parent should make an effort to teach the child a healthy sleep routine. Ways to encourage your child to sleep well can prevent sleep related problems.

Read more articles on Kids (4-7).