A bed time ritual helps your child wrap up the day and prepare for the night. A clear and predictable bed time ritual allows your child to fall asleep more easily and enjoy a better night’s sleep.
A bed time ritual
- A bed time ritual means that you do the same things every night, in exactly the same order.
- Start in the living room, for example by saying goodnight to any siblings.
- This helps your child wrap up the day and prepare for bed.
- Make sure this ritual is more or less the same length every day.
An example of a bed time ritual:
Try not to think of all the things you still need to do and focus fully on your child for a bit. Your child will notice you are paying attention to them, which will encourage them to behave and make everything more enjoyable for both of you.
How to create your own bed time ritual
There is no one-size-fits-all bed time ritual. Every child and every family is different, so you need to create your own routine. Think of all the things you usually do together before your child goes to bed and consider in which order you want to do them. Take your time for this bed time ritual.
This will help you remember to follow the same bed time ritual every day. And if your child is not cooperating, the pictures will help you explain what you expect them to do.
Also discuss the bed time ritual with your partner (if you have one) or others involved in the raising of your child to ensure they follow the same routine every day. That will guarantee there will be no irregularities no matter where your child sleeps.
