8 tips for getting your children to bed early:
Set a time for getting your children to bed early
Choose a time from which, without protest, the child has to go to bed. The children must be made to understand that this moment will be immovable. The time set will depend on the customs of each culture, the time of dinner, and breakfast. As a general rule, children in infant stages should sleep between 11 and 12 hours. In primary education, it can be reduced to 10 or 11 hours and in adolescence, they will sleep between 8 and 9, but never less.
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Leisure time before this time
Before going to bed, the child can enjoy a fun time with board games or reading a story. In this way, the child will be calm before sleeping. It is key to avoid this time being used for video games or television because we will be activating the child’s brain and will make it difficult for him to feel the need to go to sleep.
Offer security
Some children may be afraid of being alone at night. To make this fear disappear, the children’s room can be equipped with “security” elements such as light bulbs, stuffed animals, and even a flashlight to navigate in the dark so that they can go to the toilet in the middle of the night.
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Firmness above all
It may be that on some occasions the child wants to see a series or a movie that is broadcast on television. We recommend you to watch the “Toy Story” movie with your kids as they will enjoy it. But you have to be firm at this point and don’t allow any trade-offs. The little one should be explained that he has to rest and at another time he will carry out these activities.
Do not link the bed to punishment
Going to bed is something necessary, healthy, well, not a punishment. For this reason, comments such as “as you behave badly, you go to bed” should be avoided since it will be transmitted that sending the child to sleep is a response to their bad behavior and that therefore it will not help to create this habit.
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Tiring the child
If during the day the child has tired exercising and doing various activities, it will be easier for him to be tired at the end of the day and want to go to sleep. Staying busy during the day will create the perfect evening weather.
Don’t let them sleep on the sofa
Some children fall asleep on the couch after a hard day. It is necessary to explain to the children that they sleep in a bed and that when they feel tired, they should retire to their room to enjoy their sleep.
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Avoid copious dinners
A heavy dinner means heavy digestion. A light meal will help them get to sleep better without feeling bad about having eaten too much. If we can organize our schedules, it is good that there is a time off between the time of dinner and the time of going to bed.