What to do When Your Preschooler Won't go to Sleep at Night
Are you having a hard time getting your preschooler to go to bed and stay in bed at night? This age can be super frustrating because they are masters of manipulation and capable of dragging out bedtime for hours! How many times a night do you hear:
“I need another drink.”
“I have to go potty, again.”
“Mommy I need one more kiss?”
Most nights the list of demands can seem endless! And let’s be real here, when it’s bedtime all we want to do is get the kiddos in bed and clock out for the night (and maybe have a glass of wine)!
How to get a handle on the bedtime routine (hint: make it their idea)
Our fix for getting things on track is to have a “family meeting”. During this meeting you will focus on deciding what the bedtime routine will consist of. The key is to have your little one actively involved in the process. Let them decide on the order of things and what all to include. For example:
Put on pjs
Brush teeth
Go potty
Read 2 books
Kiss mommy and daddy good night
Lights out
The power of poster board and markers (and maybe some stickers or glitter!)
Put the routine on a big poster board and let them decorate it. Hang the poster board somewhere where everyone can see it at night and go through it as a family as you work your way down the list.
This will help to give your little one a sense of control and ownership over the situation, all while setting limits on your end. Win-win! Remember though, it’s just as important for them to stick to the list as it is for you ;).
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