Sleepy Stars

We know children need enough sleep and rest in order to learn, grow, and thrive. But winding down at bedtime can be challenging for children and adults alike. Parenting and the stress of life can be tiring… you need rest too! When helping your child settle into a sleepy state, remember that you also benefit from calming down and sharing special bonding time. 

It’s powerful for children to be involved in any healthy routine, such as making family meals, and sleep is no different. When children can help plan and choose part of the routine (and even change it a little to make it their own, perhaps changing the order of the steps when appropriate) they’re more likely to benefit from it. 

When bedtimes are a struggle, it’s a great time to think about the idea of “family check-ins.” Talk together about what’s working and what’s not, and what you might try to do differently. Children may come to appreciate having a scheduled time to connect and thinking of new and special ways to ease into their bedtime routine. 

Print these ideas, invite children to choose ones they’d like to try. Invite them to color the page. Put them near children’s beds, or near a couch the whole family shares, or anywhere you need a reminder. By getting calm yourself (and saying things like “sleep is a big part of our whole family being healthy” and “did you know your brain and body are growing as you rest?”) as you help children go to sleep, you’re planting the seeds for a lifetime of healthy habits.