8 Tips to Ease Into Bedtime
“Let him sleep, for when he wakes, he will move mountains” -Napoleon
Getting enough sleep is extremely important for all of us and especially for kids. A good night’s sleep helps them concentrate at school, ward off illness, and helps mom and dad get a little alone time too. Try these simple tips to make bedtime battle free.
Create a routine
Set bedtime for the same time each night and follow the same routine so that your kids know what to expect. Having a nighttime routine of bath and stories, and then sleep time, will help your children wind down night after night.
Go bananas
Bananas are an excellent fruit for dessert. But what’s dessert got to do with getting your kids to sleep? Bananas contain melatonin and serotonin, chemicals known to help the body sleep, as well as magnesium. Make it fun by adding a little Nutella to a banana, and popping it in the microwave to melt it just a little. Your kids will love this yummy sleep aid.
Grab some fairy or monster spray
If your keiki is afraid to go to bed because of monsters or bad dreams, it’s time for some fairy or monster spray. Spraying imaginary “fairy dust” around the room will help your little one be at ease, knowing that the spray will ward off any bad dreams or that under-the-bed monster. Simply fill a spray bottle with some water, add some sprinkles and essential oils (lavender is a great one to use) and spray it around the room as your little one lays down to sleep.
Clean up with a bath
A bath not only gets the sand off their feet and makes their hair smell yummy, but the warm bath can also help to induce a tad bit of sleepiness. Use the bath time to play games, rinse away the day and send them to bed clean and happy.
Massage magic
After the bath give your little one a massage. The massage could last anywhere from 10 minutes to 30 minutes. Take cues from your little one; if he or she loves it, keep it up. This works really well after a bath.
Talk story
For the older keiki, use bedtime as a time to catch up and talk story about how their day was and what they hope to accomplish the next day. Ask them to share a wish or dream and make it a ritual.
Sing a song
Find one or two songs to sing to your keiki every night. Have them join you in the harmony or go it alone. They’ll be sure to remember this for years and years, and perhaps one day they will sing the same songs to their children.
Read a book
Reading books before catching zzzzzs is a long-time bedtime ritual. As the kids get older, let them read the books to you. A good book before bedtime can help evoke dreams. It can also help the kids think of something else besides missing you once you say aloha to them for the night.
That Napoleon sure knew what he was talking about. A child who gets sleep is a happy child, and that means you are one happy parent.
