How to Get Your Child to Fall Asleep At Night

Getting a child to fall fast asleep at night seems like it should be a dream, but for some parents bedtime is a nightmare. Bad habits, over-stimulation and power struggles can get in the way of a good night's sleep -- not just for your child, but for everyone in the house. Take measures to help your child fall asleep in his own bed without a fuss, and you may find that you'll rest easier, too.

Things You'll Need

  • Toy box or storage container
  • Blanket
  • Pillow
  • Stuffed animal
  • Story books

Instructions

    • 1

      Determine a strict bedtime and rising time for your child. Keep him on schedule, even on the weekends. Once the sleep schedule is disrupted, it takes a few days to get back into a solid routine. Disturbing your child's sleep schedule every weekend is counterproductive to what you̵7;re trying to do the remainder of the week.

    • 2

      Remove distractions from your child̵7;s room that might interfere with sleep. According to Parenting.org, it̵7;s best to take out any laptops, cell phones, video games and gadgets before bedtime. Put away any toys that might tempt him to climb out of bed -- put them out of sight in a toy box or away in the closet, or remove them from the room if necessary.

    • 3

      Make your child̵7;s room an environment conducive to sleep. Prepare the bed with his favorite blanket, pillow or stuffed animal. Healthline recommends lowering the temperature so it̵7;s cool enough to be comfortable with a blanket. Draw the curtains and shut the door so lights or noises from outside or other rooms in the house won̵7;t disturb him.

    • 4

      Establish a bedtime routine to help transition your child from waking to sleeping hours. Activities during this time should be aimed at helping your child wind down and relax. A bedtime routine might include giving him a warm bath, brushing his teeth, getting him into pajamas, tucking him into bed, reading him a story then kissing him goodnight. After a while of performing this ritual every night, your child's brain may begin to associate the activities with going to sleep.

    • 5

      Leave the room so your child can learn to fall asleep on his own. Cuddling and rocking a sleepy child always makes for a precious moment, but Psychology Today stresses the importance of letting your child discover how to self-soothe so that he can go to sleep on his own. If your child begs you to stay, reassure him that you̵7;re nearby and will be in to check on him, and leave the room.

    • 6

      Return to the room and comfort your child occasionally if he is crying. There should be no renegotiation about bedtime -- just reassure him that he̵7;s okay and you̵7;re close, then kiss him and leave again. If he is not used to self-soothing or going to bed alone, it make just take some time for him to adapt to the new routine.

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