6 ways you can do to help your toddler at bedtime
Toddler sleep can take a real turn when the emotional centre of their brain starts to develop, and separation can become harder.
It can feel incredibly frustrating as a parent (particularly when you’ve had a “good sleeper”) and it might seem like your toddler is making up any excuse not to go to bed. Let me assure you of this – they aren’t doing it to frustrate you!! While they might be clutching at any straw not to say goodnight it is usually a lot more about being separated that’s tricky than anything else.
So, with that in mind rather than trying to force separation in the name of being a “big kid” you can lean into it and support your child to feel more confident being separated from you leading to easier and more seamless bedtimes.
Here are a few sweet things you can do to support your toddler through these tricky times:
· Role Plays – Practicing what happens at bedtime outside of the actual period of bed can be a game changes because it allows your toddler to work through any challenges without the pressure of going to bed or the feeling that come with being tired. Make it a fun game!
· Hearts – draw hearts on both yours and your toddlers hands when they touch it connects to you. Once they are drawn get your toddler to touch it can give them a big squeezy hug – to show this is the feeling you get when you connect to mum/dad.
· Put a picture of you next to their bed – particularly if they have a night light but even if they don’t, they can subconsciously know you are there. Talk to “this mummy/daddy will be keeping watch over you while we are all asleep and keep you safe”.
· Special books – if there is anything that seems to regularly bother your little one making a story or book about it can help to elevate the worry and help you little one feel confident that they aren’t along in their concerns.
· String – connect a piece of string from their room to yours so your child can feel the connection is there even when you are separated in your beds.
· Connection before bed – sleep is very vulnerable time and its tough trying to be a big kid all day, sometimes you just need to take your little one in your arms and allow them to release all the day to this might be a big cuddle with a gentle rock, back tickle, bum pat, humming, singing.
The more you can lean into your child to help them regulate their nervous system the easier it will be for them to fall asleep.
KEEP THIS MANTRA IN YOUR MIND – MY CHILD ISN’T GIVING ME A HARD TIME, THEY ARE HAVING A HARD TIME.
If you want more conscious parenting mantra’s to support you through the tough times check out my Conscious Parent Affirmation Cards
Happy Sleeping
Lauren x