How To Get The Kids To Go To Bed
Some children even though they know that they are tired, do not want to miss out on any of the action or excitement. They want to spend as much time with mom and dad as possible. I even heard one particular day the children discussing how unfair it is that they have to go to be before me and their mother – rather crazy some might say lol. These types of children will want to disrupt and even avoid going to bed at all cost.
When I was a child I had a speech impediment known as stuttering. I was desperate to find out how to stop stammering and was aware that I would stutter more if I had had a lack of sleep the night before.
I myself have two young children and have been through this experience myself. The step-daughter is a person who requires a certain amount of sleep to ensure that she performs to her optimum on the next day – she can also become rather fractious if she has had a lack of sleep. As a parent it can become very frustrating as well as upsetting when you see your child crying because they do not want to go to bed. Comments like, please dad just one more program on the television, were far too regular, and at times I felt like backing down.
I have now learnt via reading many books on parenting, how to best deal with this situation. Each child now has a set time when they have to be in bed by. This is a time that they have both agreed to!
They get changed into their pyjamas around half an hour before this time, and then can either spend that period of time playing with their toys or watching the television. If they want to play, we ensure that the games are relaxing ones and not too energetic.
You may well be wondering why I am so eager to get my kids to bed. Well it is because I need my own rest other wise I am a moody person at work the next day where I sell external doors.
If there is a program that is on later than their agreed bedtimes, I agree to video it for them, this way they know that they are not missing out etc.
I have agreed that I will read them a story at bedtime. This is something they both love and helps them to wind down and relax. They are also given a drink to go to bed with, therefore there is no need for them to keep coming downstairs. This drink is always a juice and should not be fizzy.