5 Sleep Hacks for Toddlers

What’s worse than an overtired toddler? Nothing. Absolutely nothing.

Are you struggling to get your toddler to sleep? Are bedtimes long drawn out battles that usually end with you falling asleep in a bed two sizes too small and missing out on your entire evening plans?

If your toddler is not sleeping well, then it’s likely that the entire family is not sleeping well either.

Lack of sleep can lead to constant meltdowns, hyperactivity and power struggles, especially at bedtime. With little sleep, no one functions well and it can turn your household into a war zone.

So how do we help our toddlers wind down, cooperate, fall asleep on their own and stay asleep?

These 5 hacks will help set the stage for better sleep 🙌🏻 ahhh…sound dreamy??

Keep reading.

https://www.lilbabysleep.ca/pottytrainingdownload

https://www.lilbabysleep.ca/pottytrainingdownload

Hack 1: When in doubt, run a warm bath. This is a life hack for all ages (yes even you!).

A bath before bed will help lower core body temperature. We NEED our core temperature to lower a few degrees to actually achieve sleep so a relaxing epsom salt back will help (take extra precautions that your child does not ingest epsom salt water and use age appropriate dosages). The magnesium however will help relax the muscles and make your little one nice and relaxed.

Hack 2: Wind down with a quiet activity of THEIR choice. Choices are important. Work a quiet activity into your bedtime routine. This is also a great time to fill their attention bucket and focus solely on giving them the attention they need. Whether it be colouring, legos, building, anything that is an engaged activity away from blue light emitting electronics (bonus: dim the lights!).

Hack 3: Make expectations clear with visuals. Toddlers have different learning styles and many are visual learners. Pictures rather than words or print is best. Even better, they love to look at pictures of themselves! So use that on a bedtime rules board or a sleep picture book. We want them to understand the bedtime rules and expectations. Don’t blindside them!

Also, after 2.5 years old a sleep trainer clock (Ie. grow clock, hatch) is a great tool to help them understand the expectation and feel excited about following the rules but it has to be implemented properly and used consistently.

Hack 4: Role-play. Imaginative play helps children work through their emotions in a safe way. It’s also great for teaching them expectations, behaviours and helping them understand and feel like they are in control (something that at this age they are grasping for). Have them go through the bedtime routine with their favourite stuffed friend, tell the bear the bedtime rules and tuck it in. Tell the doll/stuffed friend that they will be back in the morning just like mama will.Role-play can be a powerful teaching tool, it may feel silly at first but it works with their imagination and creativity to really help them understand and internalize a message.

Hack 5: Build in the stalls. Toddlers and Pre-schoolers are masters at stalling. “One more book” “I need a glass of water” “I have to go potty” “I’m hungry”…the list goes on. If they can delay bedtime, you bet they will try. Pushing the boundary is a normal part of a child’s development, they do it to test that you are consistent (they feel safe and secure in knowing what will happen) and that you are seeing them and they are seeing how you will react and where they can push the rules. The best response is to stay consistent and hold the boundaries always. So if a glass of water is always making bedtime later or the extra book is pushing you past bedtime, take that and build in the stall. The time they go to bed doesn’t change but you work backwards from there. Build into your bedtime routine, a time to go potty, time for three books instead of two, a snack before bed…whatever is causing you to delay bedtime has to be given time during the bedtime routine (it might mean you start it earlier). Anything outside of the bedtime routine is a no-go zone. Meaning you hold boundaries firm and don’t negotiate that night. You can always take it back and work with your child to build it into your routine but on the spot bedtime rules should be FIRM and non-wavering. Negotiations should never happen during bedtime but tell your child in the morning you can take a look at it together.

Pushing the boundaries is a normal part of childhood, children want to feel they are separate independent little humans with choices. Fighting bedtime is something we’ve all experienced and it’s not fun. We also have to watch how this triggers us, especially when we are tired and have little patience left. The best option in this case, is to have a plan. Something thought out in advance and something that works.

Planning on the spot will only get you even more frustrated and your reactions may make the situation worse.

Reach out for a concrete plan on exactly what to implement and you will gain CLARITY. Remember once we have a plan it’s our guide and we follow it consistently always.Yes you can change it but never on the spot and Its my job to make sure your plan works for you, your toddler and your ideal bedtime/sleep situation.

The load on us mothers is so big, let’s relieve you of some of that by reaching out for support. Let the expert be your guide and make bedtime a positive experience and sleep a thing. Guaranteed.

Book a FREE call with me today.

Lil. xx

Your Pediatric Sleep Consultant

 
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