Sleep is a beautiful, beautiful thing. As adults, we appreciate sleep so much more than we did when we were little. What is it with kids hating bedtime? FOMO? As an adult I love and welcome bedtime. Well, my sleep is better when my kids sleep better.
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We all need sleep to function fully and happily. Although I am a believer that some people just need more sleep than others (because everyone’s body is different), I am also a believer in using real methods to get better sleep results with my kids.
Maybe we’re lucky, but my husband, Jake, and I have two great sleepers. Our kids go to bed at 7pm and wake up at or after 7:20am. On top of that, our 2-year-old is still napping for usually about an hour and a half during the afternoon. Again, call us lucky, but we have also used some very conscious strategies to help our kids sleep better.
When saying “sleep better” we mean: 1) Being able to fall asleep quickly on their own (without a ridiculous bedtime routine and without us rocking them to sleep or laying with them). 2) Being able to sleep well during the night. 3) Being able to not wake up early or wake up at inconsistent times.
For those of you wanting–or even desperately needing–your kids to sleep better, I’m sharing our strategies that may be helpful to you.
8 Tips for How to Help Your Kids Sleep Better
1. Clean Diaper/Potty Right Before Bed
This sleeping tip may sound obvious, but I’ll put it here in case. Before putting your baby or kid down for a nap or for the night, make sure they start off on the right foot. Give them a clean diaper or “make” them go potty.
Half of the time my 4-year-old son claims he doesn’t have to go potty, but we make him try anyway. Almost every time he ends up going pee which will make him sleep more soundly and without needing to get out of bed to go pee as soon.
2. Follow a Strict Bedtime Routine
Kids thrive on routines. Having a set bedtime routine helps your kid prepare mentally and physically for sleep and helps them have an easier time falling asleep. I have found that having a short and sweet bedtime routine is best.
Here is our bedtime routine: diaper change/potty, pajamas on, brush teeth, 1 short scripture story, prayers, the same bedtime song (first verse of “I Am a Child of God”), sound machine on/curtains closed/lights off, a kiss, and a “Love you forever no matter what. Goodnight!”
My kids don’t even try to ask for “one more song!” or “one more story!” because the answer will be no. Being firm with the routine and not caving at requests will help your kids know that bedtime is serious and you, the parent, are in charge instead of them.
3. Use a Sound Machine
I think using a white noise sound machine for sleeping is good for three reasons. First of all, it helps block out noises that might wake them (the tv, a knock at the front door, your dog barking, etc.).
Secondly, it is soothing. When your kid was a fetus, they lived in a constantly loud place–a.k.a your womb. Your heartbeat, blood flow, digestive system, etc. all make routine noises that your baby is used to hearing. Some people try to recreate this familiar existence of sound for their baby by using a white noise machine. (My husband and I are two of those people.)
Finally, third, consistently using a sound machine can help signal to your kid that it is time to sleep. Just like following a bedtime routine can help prepare your child for sleeping, a sound machine can also help trigger that it is time to go to sleep.
We opt to exclusively use the white noise setting on this sound machine.
4. Use an OK to Wake Clock
The Mirari OK to Wake Clock has been a total game changer for our 2-year-old daughter and her sleeping habits.
Here’s the story: Jake and I used to switch off mornings getting up with the kids. Since I’ve become pregnant, however, Jake (bless him!) has taken on the role of waking up with the kids every morning to give me some extra minutes of sleep. Our kids were sleeping until about 7am, but then slowly our daughter started waking up earlier and earlier. At its worst, she was waking up at 5:30am!
Knowing she was capable of sleeping longer, we pulled out the OK to Wake Clock and set it for 7am. Before putting her to bed that first night, we told her daddy wouldn’t come to get her until the light turned green. Sure enough, the next morning she woke up bright and early and cried for us in her crib. Jake set his own alarm for 6:58 and walked right in her door at 7am after her light glowed green.
The next night we again told her that daddy would get her in the morning when the light was green. She again woke up too early, cried for a bit, and then fell back asleep until 7am at which point Jake was in to get her.
It took 3-4 nights for her to stop crying/calling for us before the 7am green light and for her to start sleeping until then. But after a few days she got it! Since then we have even bumped the time back to 7:20am and she either: sleeps until the light goes off, chats quietly to herself, or even sleeps past the light going off.
Using the OK to Wake Clock has given us almost 2 extra hours of sleep in the morning! If you are struggling with a kid who wakes up too early, then give the OK to Wake Clock a good try and see if that helps. (You can get one on Amazon here.)
5. Hang Blackout Curtains
In the summer especially, blackout curtains are a lifesaver for morning wake times and nap times. Think about it. Would you rather take a restful nap with the sun shining through the window into your eyes or in a dark space? If a cat nap is all you’re after, then by all means have it be in the sunshine, but otherwise you’ll want to utilize a blackout curtain. Kids are the same. If they can sleep in a dark space then the sun won’t be interfering with their rest. We got this blackout curtain panel for our kids’ bedroom.
6. Put Your Baby/Toddler in a Sleep Sack
Swaddling babies has known benefits: it helps them stay warm and feel safe. In the womb, babies did not have a bunch of room to flail around. Therefore, to help your baby feel protected and secure for a good sleep, swaddle them tight. I like using these velcro swaddles that are easier to use.
Once your baby is rolling over, you aren’t supposed to swaddle them anymore. However, I still like keeping my babies in a sleep sack because they are not yet ready for a blanket. A sleep sack gives me peace of mind because I know it won’t be a suffocation hazard like blankets are.
I have found that sleep sacks are great for my crib-sleeping kids even after they are able to safely handle a blanket. Why? Because it helps them not be able to climb out of the crib! Even after my daughter learned how to unzip her sleep sack, I just put the sleep sack on her backwards and it has given me many months of extra use. Obviously not being able to climb out of the crib helps my toddler sleep better.
The Halo Sleepsack we use comes in multiple sizes going up to XL.
7. Have Consistent Nap Times and Bedtimes
Kids love consistency. It’s safe to them and helps them know what to expect in a world where much is out of their control. That said, I firmly believe in having consistent nap times and bedtimes for kids. By being consistent, your kids won’t be overly tired or not tired enough for their nap or for bedtime.
8. Read (and Follow) the Book “Babywise”
No, “Babywise” is not sponsoring this blog post, I just really believe in their message. The basic idea to me is that learning how to fall asleep takes practice to develop, like everything we do. Therefore, helping your baby learn how to go to sleep on their own is a gift you are giving them and a skill you need to help them develop.
“Babywise” encourages helping babies learn how to fall asleep on their own without crutches (like you needing to rock them to sleep, to breastfeed them to sleep, to drive them around in the car in order to fall asleep, etc.) Just do yourself a favor and buy this book. (Available here on Amazon.) We religiously followed the sleep advice in “Babywise” and are so grateful we did. People are always surprised and impressed by how easy it is to put our kids to bed. We feel like following “Babywise” has been the #1 reason for this.
What are your tips and tricks for helping your kids sleep better? Please share by commenting below!
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