Nothing is more peaceful than a baby who is sound asleep. Their brains work hard on development activities like consolidation of their memory, even when they are tucked and curled up in bed. Sleep is good for everybody but best for the growing babies who need physical and mental growth. It is good to have all the vital sleep essentials for them too. The best Sealy mattress, right temperatures, a cozy sleeping area for the kids, among others. In this article, are tips parents can follow to ensure their babies get restful sleep.
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Table of Contents
Make a master plan
Have a bedtime ritual for your baby. It is as easy as switching on the white noise machine or singing a song to the baby. Let the older kids add to the suggestions of the master plan. It will help them identify their way of settling needs and gives them a sense of control. Let the kids decide the number of books they would like you to read together that night. Have a list of the steps you want to follow in sequence. A master plan helps everyone know what shall happen next. Go through the suggestion one more time before starting to help the kids internalize.
Enjoy time together
Some babies may be disturbing during bedtime as they seek to get more attention from their guardians. At night the kids can spend quality time with their parents. However, when the caregiver is present during the day, the kid can become dependent wholly on the parent’s presence for comfort. Either way, telling your kids something positive you have noticed in them is a good ritual. As a parent, when you get home, know how their day has been and go on to ask them a few questions about how their day. Make eye contact, have 5 to 10 minutes of cuddling with your baby, say soothing words, and sing to the baby.
Keep it positive
When you have younger kids who cannot tell time, help them study using a clock that keeps changing color at the correct wake and sleep times. Motivate your kids, give them a small reward if they wait until the appropriate hour. As a way to reward them, you can use a sticker chart and organize a fun one on one time, for instance, 7 minutes of playing a board game early in the morning before leaving or at night after work. By doing this, you will be enhancing positivity about the benefits of getting restful sleep and doing so on time. Avoid harassing or pushing your kids to get up early. Moreover, avoid creating negative associations of them being in bed.
Treat the restless sleep
Your child may experience a hard time at night, therefore, making it impossible to get a restful night. Bad dreams occur during sleep times and are common to all ages. A standing-out characteristic of a nightmare is that the dreamer will remember it. Therefore, if your child did not sleep, make an effort in the morning and ask about their dream. If the night was a bad one, make them focus on funny pictures instead or help them get better endings. Make them understand that nightmares are their imagination and reassure them of their safety. Night terrors and sleepwalking occur in slow-wave sleep. Get them a specialist who will evaluate them in case any of these happen to them.
Power down
Electronic screens should be put away during bedtime because their light stimulates the brain. The blue light is dangerous to the kids since it may make them stay alert instead of resting. It also hinders the production of sleep hormones such as serotonin and melatonin. Ideally, the kids should ensure their screens are off at least one or two hours before bedtime. Kids who are off their screens early enough tend to be more active and use up their natural physical energy that makes it easier to settle down at bedtime. For the young kids, their parents use a special colorful lighting wake or sleep clock to assist their babies to know when it is sleeping or wake time.