Figuring out how to get my kids to sleep at night has been one of the biggest causes for my anxiety and stress levels over the last…well, the entirety of my children’s lives!
As a new mom, it’s already guaranteed that you’ll be sleep deprived from waking up to nurse a baby every couple of hours, and it’s only worse if your baby doesn’t know or want to go to sleep in between feedings.
Sleep and going to bed typically gets easier as children get older, but one thing that all sleep experts and consultants agree on is the need for a bedtime routine with your children.
Doing the same things every night leading up to bedtime teach children to know what’s coming so they can mentally and physically wind down from the craziness of the day. It’s important to start some semblance of a bedtime routine very early on, so while the routine may change there is always a process before being laid down to sleep!
While my kids are always late to the “sleeping through the night” gig, they’ve always been good at falling asleep when it’s time (with a few rare exceptions), whether that’s for naps or to sleep at night!
So to the mom who’s struggling to get her child to fall asleep at night, here are the things I do with my girls! They have stayed the same from when Elliott was between 4-6 months old and worked just as well then as they do now!
2. Bath time! I bathe the kids every other night, and I like to get them in the tub about 40 minutes before bedtime. I use Young Living bath wash and shampoo on them because the scents from essential oils trigger their brain to know that it’s time to relax and start getting ready for bed. I bring their pajamas into the bathroom with us so when bath time is over I can get the dressed right away, and not risk having to chase wound up, nakey shakey kids all over the house right before bedtime.
3. Next, I brush their hair while they look out our master bedroom window at the cars driving by. This was Reagan’s idea but it’s pretty relaxing for them and makes it easier for me to brush through their hair without complaints! If they have a lot of tangles, I spray mermaid hair on their hair as a detangler! After hair, we go to their bathroom and brush teeth. They each get a turn after I’ve brushed their teeth which occupies them while I…
4. Do essential oils! I fill up each of the girl’s diffusers with some combination of Lavender, Cedarwood, Thieves, Gentle Baby, or Peace and Calming, whatever oils I feel like they need. Then I roll a mix of Lavender and Cedarwood on their feet and along their spine. This is a big part of the bedtime routine and they get very upset if I rush through or accidentally skip this step! Oils again remind them that it’s time for bed, and if they wake up in the middle of the night it’s easier for them to settle down when they have those same bedtime smells diffusing.
5. Read a book. I just found out about the 1000 Books Before Kindergarten program at our library, and we’re starting a little late with Reagan but I think we can do it! Every week we check out 7 books from the library and the kids pick which one they want to read every night.
6. Prayers, songs, and all the hugs and kisses. Next we all say a prayer together, and Reagan “helps” me put Elliott down. We go in Elliott’s room, sing I am a Child of God, and rock in the rocking chair. After Elliott is down (and tucked in with her animals and blankie) I repeat the process with Reagan in her room.
That’s it! Nothing fancy or special, just the same things every night regardless of where we are! The nice thing is that this routine can be duplicated whether we’re at grandma’s house, a hotel, or in our own home, so everything is constant.
Finding a good routine is crucial to helping your children learn how to sleep at night, and I hope these steps give you ideas of how to start one with your own children!