With the holidays approaching, you might find a change in your child’s sleep habits. I have some tips from Child and Family Therapist, Michele Kambolis, which will help you keep sleep schedules on track, and ensure that your child is getting the sleep they need.
Manage overnight disruptions. Once your child falls asleep it’s important that they have an uninterrupted sleep to thrive. However, this is a challenging obstacle for nighttime wetters. Nighttime wetting is an inevitable part of growing up (and it’s more common than you think), but it doesn’t have to be distressing. The best thing you can do for a child who experiences nighttime wetting is to manage the condition and instill a stress-free bedtime routine. Help your child understand that nighttime wetting is not their fault and is something their bodies will grow out of naturally. Set the stage for a peaceful rest by using GoodNites® Bedtime Pants to help your child feel secure and relaxed before bed, while allowing them to sleep through the night. They’re plush and super absorbent to help keep kids dry and comfortable all night, no matter what sleep position they prefer.
Create a clear transition time. Shut down homework, technology and high drive activity, opting instead for calming activities like bath time and reading. Encourage them to brush their teeth on their own or read independently for 10-15 minutes before bed.
Create a sleep-inducing environment.
A child’s language is play, and toys are their words – so imagine how fired up their brain system becomes as they scan a room lined up with stimulating toys, fun decorations and dazzling lighs. Instead, try placing toys in bins, well out of sight, and transition their room into a low-key environment with soft sheets, fuzzy socks, and relative quiet. If your child is afraid of the dark, try a dim nightlight or glow-in- the-dark wall stickers to keep them comfortable without disturbing their sleep.
Limit the lingering. Children are notorious nighttime lingerers, with endless requests for a snack, a glass of water, another trip to the bathroom or just one more hug. Once you’ve filled your child up emotionally with that nighttime bonding time, let them know when they’ve reached the bedtime bottom line with a “last call for questions.” Setting those final limits and sticking to them will give your little lingerer the firm message that their sleep is more important than extend-a-play.
Teach self-soothing. When children finally fall into bed and tune into their internal cues, they can become bombarded with a flurry of thoughts. Irrational fears and un-metabolized worries from the day can trigger high brain activity, disrupting both sleep and your child’s peace of mind. Remind your child to snuggle up to their comforting stuffed animal or blanket. Additionally, teaching children mindful diaphragm breathing, progressive relaxation, visualization and other techniques proven to calm their nervous system, can set them up for not only a goods night sleep, but also a lifetime of well-being.
Finally, do your best to make going to sleep a positive experience. Loving words, smiles, and understanding go a long way in helping your child learn sleep habits.
I have found these Goodnight to be really good,i used them with my grandkids!
definitely agree with limiting water and screen time towards bedtime. It’s so dry in winter though we should get a humidifier.
These are great tips. It can be hard to get the kids to sleep, ESPECIALLY when the holiday excitement kicks in.
I have always been grateful that my kiddo has gone down easily. My sister in law struggles with this so bad! I will tell her to read this post! It might help her!
this is truly great advice. I think the biggest piece is teaching self soothing- definitely going to share this post with friends who have little ones!
My sister used these with my nieces and swears by them! She said it was the easiest thing to do for potty training!
My friend uses these for her kids and likes how they work to keep them asleep at night.
Holiday excitement always is a struggle with kids’ sleep schedules. These are some great tips, and GoodNights are fantastic, especially when you are away from home and out of your routine.
I hate how messed up everyone’s schedules get over holidays. We have used Goodnights before and were pleased with how comfy they were.
My kids were definitely lingerers right before bed time! I do think it helps to have a clear transition time for settling in.
When I was a kid I could have used these. I use to pee myself a lot because I would have such crazy dreams!
I think these are great for kids who need them. Looks like they would be nice and comfy for children too.I know many who have used these for their kids and love them.
My Son had a hard time with staying dry at night. Goodnights would have made a big difference for him. There is nothing worse then waking up in a wet bed.
I find having a bedtime routine helps. My youngest will read just before bed.
My nephew uses these, makes sleeping over at our house much easier.
I purchase Goodnights for my nieces and nephews there awesome. No drinks after 6pm
Self-soothing is so important to learn. Also, that lingering thing is something that I always had to deal with when my daughter was small.
Goodnites are great! We used them with all four of our children and it was a great transition from diapers, to underwear.
These are great tips! Kids muight have a hard time falling asleep when they are excited. These tips would be very helpful!
My daughter still uses these every night. I love how they keep her dry!
The holidays are so hard with changing sleep habits! I remember my kids had issues around this time since we were up a lot later and then they’d fall asleep before using the bathroom before bed, so these would come in handy!
I find that GoodNites are a part of the training and a regular bedtime routine really helps.
My daughter loves these!! She is trained and great during the day but at night she always wets. Thankfully we found these and they have been working awesome! no leaks
Those are all very good tips as it is such a hard time to stay in a good sleep pattern.
My kids are great at “lingering”. Anything that they can do to stay up just a minute later they will try it. I know the importance of a regular sleep pattern so I am pretty adamant that it is bedtime.
When my children were old enough to read, I let them read for an extra 20 mins and that seemed to tire them out too.
My BFF uses them for my godson at night; he is 3 and potty trained, but still has accidents at night. Its good for him and for mom and dad.
Wish these were around when my son was little. I have recommended these to a couple of friends.