Bedtime Tip

Does your child cry out or get out of bed during the night or early morning? If they do, you are not alone! This is one of most common challenges I hear from parents.

⭐️When I’m working with a family with a young child, one of the tips I often share is teaching the child to love their bed. Yes, really.

Why is this important?
Because if you only go to your child’s bed when they are upset, they will cry/fuss/scream/throw/climb/get out to get you to go to them.💥
If you teach them to sit/play/call for you, they will do those things to get you to go to them.🔥

How?
⭐️Make their bed a place they love by doing activities they love in their bed
〰️Snuggle
〰️Read
〰️Sing
〰️Give them a lovey (as long as it’s safe)
〰️Create a tuck-in routine (it can be simple, as long as it’s consistent: cuddle, sing, put down, kiss, say “good night,” etc.)

🔑THIS IS KEY:
When they wake from a nap or in the morning, go to them before they start to cry/fuss. The baby monitor is really helpful here – if your baby cries/fusses quickly after waking, be ready to walk in as soon as they wake. As they learn to sit/lie/play/go back to sleep, gradually increase how long they stay in bed before you go in (I’ve literally started at 5 seconds and increased up to 1 hour!)

🗣When you go in, use the same phrase – again, something simple, “Good morning, (name)!” Even better, model saying, “Mama/Dada” before you pick them up, so they will learn to call for you to get picked up (instead of crying).

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