Enjoy the time together. A stressed parent’s emotions are picked up easily by the child – Result is a stressed child who will consequently find it difficult to fall asleep
30 to 45 minutes maximum for routine from start to child in bed falling asleep
Start with a tryptophan-containing snack: Tryptophan food include turkey, tofu, nuts, seeds, milk, eggs, cheese, pineapple, salmon
Warm, SHORT bath (5 – 15 minutes) – effect is to relax, and cause slight drop in core body temperature which promotes melatonin
Baby massage – gently, not boisterously
Straight into a dimly lit bedroom – no going round the home to say goodnight to everyone
story, song routine. Going to bed and going to sleep are probably the most well-mined themes fro modern picture books for the under fives. I wonder why. Here are a few good ones:
Goodnight Moon by Margaret Wise Brown
Cant’ You Sleep, Little bear? by Martin Waddell
Guess How Much I Love You by Sam McBratney
Sleep Well, Little Bear by Quint Buchholz
Snuggle Up Sleepy Ones by Claire Freedman
My Dad Is Big And Strong, BUT… A Bedtime Story by Coralie Saudo
Goodnight, Me by Andrew Daddo
Rather than saying “Go To Sleep” simply say, it’s time for sleep now, it’s time to rest, close your eyes and let sleep come.
