A few more thoughts on sleep…
As a general rule of thumb, well-rested children awake on their own and in good spirits. If your child doesn’t get out of bed in the morning without a wake-up call, or awakes in an unpleasant mood, it’s a likely sign s/he is not getting adequate rest.
Television, video games, computers, and other entertainment devices can and usually do interfere with sleep patterns. I recommend limiting your child’s exposure to these devices, and avoiding them altogether during the several hours before bedtime.
Sometimes sleep eludes even the most exhausted children. When the regular evening ritual – warm bath, short story and snuggles – doesn’t cut the mustard, I have a few tried and true strategies for helping a little one settle down. These are especially useful on those evenings when excitement and anticipation can keep us awake like, for instance, the night before the first day of school:
Massage: light, gentle massage of the tummy or feet can be very relaxing and seems to work most effectively right after a warm bath.
Warm tea or milk: for many years my son’s bedtime ritual included a lukewarm cup of chamomile tea. He would sip his tea while I read aloud. I highly recommend this lovely ritual even if your child doesn’t have difficulty settling down. You’ll be lucky to finish the story before your little one is snoozing…
Quietude: I am a big fan of homeopathy and I find Quietude to be an effective, safe, non habit forming remedy for sleeplessness. The remedy comes in a sweet-tasting little tablet that easily dissolves in the mouth. Most larger health food stores carry Boiron homeopathic remedies. Read more about it at http://www.boironusa.com/products/name.html
It’s easy for everyone to fall out of sync with healthy sleep patterns during the summer months, and it may take a week or two of consistent bedtime rituals to get things back into a steady routine. Healthy sleep habits develop through caring consistency.
What sleepy-time strategy works well for your children? Post a comment to join the conversation!
Given the right kind of support even the youngest child can learn to manage many aspects of life independently. My next post will focus on the topic of dressing for independence. Stay tuned!
Sweet Dreams,
Delila