Getting Kids to Sleep

Getting my 2 1/2 year old daughter to bed at a reasonable hour, and getting her to stay in her own bed without wailing and waking the whole house, has been quite the ordeal.  She has Sensory Integration Disorder, and kids who have this are often not big sleepers.  We have had improvement in her sleep patterns, especially over the last month or so. 

Here are some of the things that have helped.

1.  Make bedtime a “wind-down routine”.  I tell my daughter “Let’s go have relaxing time.”, and we chill out and snuggle for awhile.  It is important to have some consistency and not to “spring” bedtime on kids.
2. Decide for yourself, what will relax your child.  Many frequently suggested “calming” activities don’t work for everyone.  (example: bath time is too exciting for some kids, and should be done at another time)
3. Make sure your child is comfortable.  PJs that are too warm or itchy are sure bedtime disasters.
4. If a child is having a hard time getting to sleep or wakes cranky in the middle of the night.  A small bland snack may help.  I give my daughter a slice of whole wheat bread and a small cup of milk. 
5. While, you should be helping your child to wind-down before bedtime, some vigorous activity earlier in the evening will help them burn off excess energy.  Better to plan on wild play after dinner than having a restless child at bedtime.

This post was written in response to a contest from Twitter Moms, and is sponsored by  St. Eve Kids.   St. Eve offers styishly cute under garments and pajama sets for boys and girls.  Be sure to stop by and check out their fun interactive site www.DramaU.net