Tips to set a bedtime routine.

[SarahLizzie]

When setting a bedtime routine for your child, it is important to realize everything you do from the time you wake up may effect a set bedtime. In order for a bedtime routine to work, it is crucial to have a morning routine to. Waking up at the same time every day, eating meals at the same time daily, and napping (for young children-infants) at the same times all effect what time your child is going to go to sleep.

My oldest daughter, who is 6 years old, is a morning person, she is up at 6AM every morning like clock work. She always wakes up before my alarm goes off, so she comes into my bedroom first to wake me up. Once we are both awake, we sit down together and watch a television show while we wake up the rest of the way, and allow my 21 month old daughter to sleep. Though by 7am at the latest, the youngest will wake up. Once we are all awake, we up my boyfriend (their father); and we start getting everyone ready for the day. My oldest daughter is to school by 8AM every morning (monday thru friday), and she eats breakfast there with her friends (her choice, not mine). After dropping her off, my boyfriend heads to work, and I take the baby home to eat breakfast. She plays for a few hours, and lays down for a nap by 1030 for a nap. She will then wake up by 1230, when we make lunch. After lunch, we take care of what ever we need to get accomplished that day, and then pick my oldest daughter up from school at 315. We go home for a little while, eat a snack, and then I get ready to go to work. When I go to work, their father cooks them dinner, then helps with any homework. After that they can play or do whatever until about 7 when bath time starts. By 8pm they are both laying in bed, and usually both asleep by 830-9pm at the latest. On the weekends, we keep the wake up times, meal times, bath times, and bed times the same. Through keeping everything in the same routine, my children have become accustomed to the routine and do not fight with me to go to bed.