5 things keeping your child awake

October 18, 2012

Go the F* to Sleep didn’t become a number 1 bestseller because all of our kids are sleeping through the night and taking long restful naps.  This book offers an honest and cheeky look at the frustration and desperation EVERY parent has experienced at one time or another: your baby can’t or won’t sleep and you find yourself swearing under your breath.  You know they’re tired.  But what’s keeping them up?

Here are some of the reasons why your child may still be awake:

Sleep Environment – A child’s bedroom can make or break their ability to drift off to sleep.  Whatever place you do choose for your child to sleep, be consistent. Encourage soothing and restfulness by having a dark, quiet space.  Limit the intrusion of sunlight with blackout curtains or blinds.  We love these inexpensive, easy blackout shades from the Home Depot.

Overtired – Wrangling an overtired child into bed is an uphill battle.  There is a point where children who are overtired can appear to be wired or hyper.  Aim to get them in bed drowsy but before overtiredness sets in.  Be respectful of your child’s limits.

Under-tired – If a child has rested too long during the day or has not slept at biologically appropriate times, your child simply may not be ready to rest.  Help them be successful at transitioning to sleep by winding down and offering a soothing bedtime routine, like stories, snuggles and lullabies.

Jobs – We all have our jobs to do.  So do our children.  A baby might have a job to call for you to see if you’ll come put her soother back in her mouth.  A toddler might need to check if you’re still lying next to him like you were when he fell asleep.  A preschooler might believe there are monsters under his bed and need your magic spells to eradicate them.  Do your best to ensure sleep is the only job your child has.

Skills – Remember that falling asleep is a learned skill.  This is another situation where practice makes perfect diabetes drugs.  Your child might not always be good at falling asleep independently.  Offer assistance and support to help them gradually develop their abilities.  Teaching a child to fall asleep independently is a skill that will last a lifetime.  Your child will learn to trust themselves, develop self-confidence and believe “I am capable.”

Having awareness and avoiding these situations will help create ideal circumstances for your child to have calm naps and peaceful nights; no cussing necessary.

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