I need help with night time scheduling!!!!!!

Jenn - posted on 08/29/2010

First, be sure to allow your child plenty of time outdoors to run and play during the day so that they will be tired once it's time for bed. If your child takes a nap during the day, the afternoon playtime is especially crucial for resting at bedtime.

Second, start the process of calming down around supper. Most people like to sit and eat their dinner while watching TV. TV is a stimulant and a distraction and doesn't help kids to concentrate on eating their food. Also, kids shouldn't have a TV in their rooms since most kids who fall asleep with the TV on don't get the proper rest for their bodies to function.

Third, give them something quiet to do after supper like reading a book, coloring a picture or doing a puzzle. Also, offer a snack if they want.

Fourth, get your kids to have a bath and do all of the usual bedtime things (pj's, teeth, quick cleanup of toys if necessary).

Fifth, make sure you have set a bedtime and stick to it. I'm not sure how old your kids are but children ages 1-3 need about 10-13 hours per night, ages 4-5 need 10-12 and ages 6-9 need 10 hours. Get them into bed at least 20 minuted before they need to actually sleep so they have time for a book, a talk or a cuddle.

The most important thing is you have to be consistent with your routine. If your child gets out of bed after lights out, go and put them back in bed and say, "It's time for bed." If they get up again, take them back to bed without saying anything. If they continue to get up, just keep putting them back. Good luck!!

Myetta - posted on 08/28/2010

The routine in my house for my 7 and almost 5 year old...dinner, then bath or shower, a snack and teeth brushed...in bed at 8 pm on the dot. They get a movie on and that's it...most kid movies are about 60-80 minutes...but they are usually sleep within 40 minutes...I also cut naps out. And during the week they wake up at 6:40...the only bad part is saturday mornings they instinctively wake up around 6:30
So just set a time and stick to it, their little bodies will eventually get with it. Good luck

Misty - posted on 08/12/2009

Thank ya'll for the advice!! It helps to be re assured that your kids will fall into place with things eventually. I am going to make a poster with her and her brothers picture and a column for supper, bath, clean up, snack, brush teeth, story time, and bed and let my daughter move her check marks to make bedtime a little more fun and so she can easily look and see the pictures to know what she has to do next, no surprises. I am also doing to do a chart for her behavior. another thing i've had problems with.



I think a lot of the issues are because she goes to her dad's almost every weekend and they do disicpline her there but they aren't the same as me. She will just have to learn how to adjust.

Anna-Blair - posted on 08/12/2009

First set a tv time, lets say 9 so if she goes to bed at 830 she has time for one tv show 8 she can watch two, so it's kinda of a bribe and after a while she will go. She might get upset if she is still up and its time for the tv to go off but just remind her of something that will happen when she wake up to make her wanna go to sleep [We do that with my four year old a lot still,because he still tries to pull the sleeping with us so that he can stay up late, bu you have to be firm]

Cassandra - posted on 08/12/2009

same situation here, my 5 year old starts school on the 25, she was staying with my parents but now me....and they let her go to sleep whenever..meaning like midnight or 2 in the morning and starting school that WONT work.... i just had to force her to stay in bed and sleep, i was doing the tv but she would just lay and watch it...so i turned it off, and said it is time to go to sleep...in 2 weeks time..she is now down and out by 9 each night...and i dontlet her take a nap either..she takes a nap and it is like an energy bar...up all night...so....just make her and him lay down...no tv...eventually it will get better...my 18 month old is on the same schedule, only she goes down about 30 minutes before her sister...around 8:30 and they BOTH sleep til like 10 in the morning too...it will get better...

Karina - posted on 08/12/2009

Hi Misty,

Bed times can be tough!!! Especially when breaking habits. What time do the kids wake up in the morning if they go to sleep so late? If they sleep in, maybe a start could be getting them up earlier and at the same time every morning. (this may also be tough on you for a bit).



Then organise a routine for the evening and focus it on giving the kids time to wind down. I do dinner then bath, but some parents bath first. My youngest (2 in Nov) then goes straight to bed with a drink of milk & my eldest (4 in a month) will sit with us and chill out in the lounge, or read some books. Then 7.30 is bed time. Book and bed.



You will have to be firm - and it may not be much fun for a few nights.



GOOD LUCK!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Jackie - posted on 08/12/2009

Set a bed time!!!!! Stick to it and dont give in!!! Put them to bed! Dont have anything in there that can prevent them from sleeping like lights, televisions, games, noisy toys... etc and put them to bed! If they cry for you go in give them a cuddle, dont pick them up, and soothe them and tell them it is bed time and its time to go to sleep!!!!!!! Dont what ever you do is cave in to them!!! Stay strong and firm!!!!! BED TIME IS BED TIME!!!! just turn the tv off! Let your daughter have her fit she will get over it!!!! You have to be the parent here not them!!!! GOOD LUCK!!!

Misty - posted on 08/11/2009

oh yeah and on top of that my daughter has been pitching a fit to go to sleep with the t.v. on....