4. How to Sleep Train Your Toddler and Preschooler

6/5/2020

Does your child get up find you because they are thirsty, orthere’s a monster under the bed. He or she will ask you to leave the light onor keep the door open?

Between two and three years of age, children begin to formconscious memories that will stay with them for the rest of their lives.Children need to develop a pleasant attitude toward falling asleep and stayingasleep. The positive experiences at bedtime will turn into sleep independenceand help your child grow up to be a happier, less stressed and healthierperson.

Here hare three tips

One, tired them out. Encourage your child to be activeduring the day. The more physical activity children get during the day, thebetter they sleep at night.

Two. Be consistent and enjoy bedtime rituals. The toddlersand preschoolers are not willing to go to bed if there is a lot of activity inyour household. Set an consistent bedtime for your little one. When it’s timeto go to bed, turn down the lights, move into quiet activity and let them knowbedtime is coming. You may set a timer, and when timer goes off, it’s bedtime.Then start your bedtime rituals. Different child enjoy different rituals atdifferent ages, be flexible. Here are some examples, bedtime stories, sayinggoodnight to everyone, back rub, put “lovee” to sleep, playing music or singingalone.

Three. Fade-away strategy. It starts with you being contactwith your child while going asleep, and leave the room until your child iscompletely asleep. Once your child no longer in actual physical contact withyou while falling asleep, you may sit in the room while they falling asleep.Next you want to start leave the room once a while. Tell your child you need tocheck the laundry, go get the book or anything else. Step out the room for awhile  then come right back in. you willeventually find out you are out the room more than you are in it. Soon you willchecking on your child every ten or fifteen minutes and find a peacefullysleeping child after only one or two checks. This is a process to help yourchild get used to need less of you and comfortable rely on their ownself-settling abilities.  

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