Bed Time Capers
Many parents struggle with bed time and even refer to it as “the witching hour”! Children call out for a drink of water, want yet another story, and demand more food. Parents feel frustrated and exhausted!
All are delaying tactics to stave off the inevitable……..time for sleep! Parents need respite from children to re-charge their batteries and all children need their sleep. Most young children need to be in bed and asleep by 7.30pm; however young children who still have a day time sleep may still be up after this time and should be encouraged to play quietly while other siblings are trying to go to sleep. It is really important to establish a bed time routine to encourage restful sleep for children. Once this is established children will feel safe and calm as they know what to expect and evenings will flow smoothly. Try to be consistent as children are less likely to push boundaries and test limits if they know what to expect.
Children resist sleep for many reasons:
- They may want more time with Mum & Dad
- They may be over stimulated or excited from playing
- They may have eaten sugar… ice cream, sweet biscuits or lollies
- They may be overstimulated from watching T.V or a DVD
- They may feel genuinely scared or frightened to be in their room
This article is by Janet Cater
Encouraging sleep for children
There are many things you can do to assist your child to settle to sleep happily. Children can be over stimulated by watching T.V. or a DVD in the afternoon and evening. Television can over-stimulate children and anything with adult themes should be avoided. In particular do not allow young children to watch the news. By eliminating television viewing from the afternoon and evening children will be more relaxed, calm & settled.
By ensuring children have a low GI lunch and afternoon tea, they will have more available energy listen and be co-operative, then eat their dinner. Sugar laden foods such as cordial and ice cream can cause children to be “hyped” and have difficulty settling to sleep. Fear of monsters or the dark can also play havoc.
If your routine in the early evening is not working then change it! You may need to bring everything forward by 15 – 30 minutes. You may simply need to plan a bath before dinner. By slightly re-vamping the routine you may have more co-operative children.
What does low GI mean?
The glycaemic index (GI) is a way of rating foods according to how quickly the glucose in them is digested and makes it’s way into the blood stream. Low GI foods which are slowly digested include wholegrain bread, fruit, most vegetables, yoghurt, tofu, pasta, beans, lentils, and oats. High GI foods which are rapidly digested, include potatoes and white bread. This is because the glucose contained in low GI foods is released slowly into the blood after digestion, and this helps blood glucose levels to rise steadily, avoiding a glucose ‘high’.
Sleep for kids: Tips for calm bedtime
- Establish a routine and be consistent
- Spend time playing child centred games with your child every day
- Avoid rough & tumble play before bed time
- Serve low GI food for afternoon tea & dinner
- Avoid watching T.V. and videos in the afternoon and evening
- Avoid high sugar foods including cordial and ice cream (substitute with unsweetened yogurt & fruit)
- Have a set number of stories each evening and stick to it
- For children who feel scared try this one: Sit in the doorway without talking and read a book until your child drops off to sleep. Tell your child you will go away if they talk. This reassures your child and helps them to relax & drop off to sleep. It takes only 5 minutes, instead of an hour of calling out! This phase will pass.
Suggested bedtime routine to encourage getting off to sleep for children 4-7 year olds
- 3.30pm – Low GI Snack
- 5.15 − 5.30pm – Low GI Dinner
- 6.00 – Bath
- 6.45 − 2 Stories
- 7pm – Lights out
If children are resisting the bath it is OK. They do not have to have a bath every night. However, immersion in water can calm children. Sometimes bath before dinner is a good idea.
This advice will not work for all families. Many parents both work full time, returning home after 6.30pm most evenings. Others are single parents or shift workers. Whatever your situation or hours of work, children will benefit from a routine. Problems to do with sleep in children will benefit from a routine. So please contact Janet if you need assistance with establishing a routine that works for your family. 02 9939 3732 0416 153 602
Janet Cater is a Parenting Advisor and Author of “Why Won’t My Child Listen” available for $20.
Linlee Jordan
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This is one awesome clinic blog.Thanks for the sleep info again. Much oblige.
Great post, really enjoyed it!
— Walter
http://www.bigconceptdesigns.com
I certainly need respite from my children and I would love to have them in bed early. You even said young children need to be in bed and asleep by 7.30pm. struth my kids are never out to it at 7.30pm. Probably they are both asleep by about 9pm. They are 8 and 6 so they aren’t having a day sleep anymore. We have put in a little night light. Lorraine Ellison from the clinic has started to work with us and given them both a remedy to help with night time fears. But you have mentioned about TV so i am wondering about that. I have always let them have a favourite video like thomas the tank engine or somesuch so that they can calm down before bed. Do you really think that it overstimulates them?
I’m not trying to be difficult but also when you say 7.30pm is the magic time for young children well what age exactly do you mean by “young” children?
Hello Dancing Lady!
By ‘young’ children, I am referring to children from 3 -7 or 8years. Naturally this will vary when and if children have a day sleep. One good way to determine if they are going off to sleep early enough is how they wake in the morning. Do you have to wake them or do they wake up naturally. Are they refreshed the next day or are they tired & irritable? If you are OK with a later bed time then stay with your routine! It works for you. Sometime if children become over tired then they become unco-operative causing bed time to be chaotic!
I think Thomas The Tank Engine is fine but I question that it “calms” children. I suggest you try not using that for sometime to notice any changes and use a story book instead. I can send you an article on TV and DVD viewing if you like to contact me. I am pleased you are seeking help from the clinic as many children are fearful at night.
Many parents are ready for a break by 7.30 so I would suggest if this applies to you , try getting them into the bedroom by 7.30, stories (2 only) and lights out by 7.50 or 8.00pm. Good Luck!!
Hope this helps!
My daughter is 6 years old. Ever since she gave up her day sleep she hasn’t gone to bed anymore at 7pm and now she is up till abut 9pm but she is tired. She fights the going to sleep.She also watches the TV with us but i am going to cut out the night time TV for her and aim to get her into bed earlier starting from the new year. We are going to make a programme of it. No TV – and we are going to try the low GI foods thing as well.
Good luck ! You are on the right track , remember to be patient and consistent as you introduce the changes.
Merry I would like to know more about how you went with your TV/sleep/ low GI food effort? I have the exact same pproblem.