How to Take Control and End Bedtime Battles

Every night it’s the same story. You finish your dinner, you wash up, you wind down… and then it’s time for battle. Because just when you’re starting to relax after a long day that’s the moment when your precious little ones decide to become whirlwinds of hyperactivity.

They’ve probably had a pretty big day too, but their tiredness manifests itself in a different way. They don’t want to flop into bed after a nice, long bath – like you probably do. No, their sleepiness can be gauged by how much they refuse to go to sleep, no matter how much they need it.

You might fight with them to get them upstairs in the first place. Or you tuck them in only to have them jump out 10 minutes later. Or they’ll come into you in the middle of the night, with no amount of cajoling getting them to return to their own bed.

These battles have got to stop. They’re not doing either of you any favors, and going through the

same process every single night can be more than a little exhausting! So here are 3 quick tips you can try to end bedtime battles, and get the great sleep you deserve.

1) Create a sleep sanctuary

If your kid’s room isn’t a comfortable place to be, well there’s no wonder why he/she refuses to go there! Particularly if you’ve friends or family visiting, your child will want to be where the action is. They want to stay up to watch the end of the movie, even as their eyes are fluttering shut. They want to sit on Grandma’s knee even if they can’t keep their head upright. They don’t want to miss out.

But if you transform their bedroom into a cozy sleep palace, chances are that they’ll welcome it a lot more. Decorate it with soft, warming colors, a comfy duvet over an even comfier bed and a few of their favorite stuffed animals. Play soft lullabies to lure them into a more relaxed state and keep the lighting to a minimum (using a night-light if you have one). That way, even if they’re kicking up a fuss at being brought upstairs, the welcoming and calming environment of their bedroom will soon put them at ease.

The result? Sleepy-headed kids who actually look forward to being tucked in…and who’ll actually stay in bed long afterwards. Bliss.

2) Start the wind-down early

Like I mentioned, if you have visitors over, it’ll be harder to get your kids to settle down at night. And the same is true if they’re involved with any over-stimulating activities – for instance, watching tv or playing games outside – right up until lights out.

They need to wind down first. So after dinner, get the first stage of their bedtime routine underway. Give them a bath, get them changed into their pjs and allow them to come back downstairs for half an hour while you get involved in some quieter, indoor games. Making a scrapbook, painting or helping Mommy bake some treats are all great pre-bedtime activities!

That way, when it is time for bed, they’ll be more prepared. They know that sleepytime isn’t far after bath time and they’ll be able to handle the transition. Tip: Giving them a glass of warm milk around this time is another great way to handle bedtime battles… less of the getting up at 1am in need of a drink!

3) Offer an incentive

While I’d never advocate straight-out bribery, sometimes a little rewards scheme can go a long way. So if your kids are acting up at night and you simply can’t get them to go to bed, try adding an element of competition.

Introduce a sticker chart to your mornings. If your kid went to bed at 9pm and stayed there until breakfast without running into Mommy or Daddy, he/she gets a sticker. If, on the other hand, they were up and down half the night chasing imaginary fairies down the stairs… well, no sticker for them! On Saturday morning, count up the amount of stickers they’ve received. If they’ve made it through a whole week with a sticker for every night, you can offer some kind of reward. Like going out for ice-cream, or a trip to the zoo.

Make the gesture as small or as grand as you like; even making bedtime out to be a fun game they really should play can make a big difference!

Now that the battles are over, the war between you and sleep can cease, too. Soon you and your kids will be getting a better sleep, every night… and waking up a lot happier come morning!