If singing a lullaby just won’t cut it for getting your anxious child to sleep, perhaps one of these nifty tips will. Seven tips that can help your kid settle down, get into bed and achieve a healthy slumber appear in a Psychology Today article by Dr. Dennis Rosen, who doubles as author of an entire book on helping your children sleep.
Although some of the tips border on common sense, parents of anxious children know all too well that common sense can be the first thing that goes out the window when struggling with bedtime. We shan’t list all seven tips here, but we picked out our favorite trio of tips from Rosen’s list:
- “No television for your child during the two hours before bed,” Rosen stresses. “Research has shown that children who watch TV in the evenings stay up later and sleep less than those who do not.
- “Read to your child! No matter her age, reading to your child provides a great opportunity to spend some one-on-one time with her, and also allows her an opportunity to voice concerns or anxiety which could trigger nightmares if not resolved. Reading together will also instill a life-long love of reading.
- “If your child has a tendency to re-emerge from her bedroom for ‘just one more’ kiss/hug/story/drink of water, try negotiating a pass system, wherein she can come out of her room only once (with the pass), and earn a small reward for compliance after a few days.”
Good luck for a good night every night!
Read the seven tips in all their glory: http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/sleeping-angels/201212/7-winning-ways-prepare-your-child-sleep
