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Creating Bed Time Rituals for Your Child
by Faten Abdallah

The world is a place to be discovered by children. Everything is new and exciting for them. So when bedtime arrives, many young children try to delay their bed times without realizing that they are doing themselves a disservice. It is very important that parents set the atmosphere of bedtime by creating rituals for children to become calm and get ready for bed.

Children thrive on structure and repetition. It is essential to create and do the same things right before bed. The activities done before bed should not require much physical activity. These activities should be preparations for bed time.

• turning off most of the lights except the room you and your family are using.
• make sure you are not doing much physical activity like cleaning or dusting, if you must work be seated. Children tend to copy like their parents. If they see you calm and relaxed, then they will be as well.
• bathe your child every night or every other night depending the warm or cold nights. Bathing your child relaxes his or her body.
• at the same time each night, dress your child in pajamas. Explain to your child that in a little bit or give them a specific time limit, your child has to be ready for bed. Remind them to finish what they are doing. Do not let them start another activity.
• about thirty minutes before bed, have your child pick up his or her toys. Have them drink water, brush their teeth and perform other bathroom duties. Your child may attempt to delay bedtime, by asking drink more water or using the bathroom. If it is not necessary, then remind your child firmly, yet gentle, it is bed time.
• tuck your child in bed, read about two or three stories together. Pick stories that are calm and appropriate for bed time use.
• say to your child good night, if he or she is awake. Then turn off the lights and leave his or her room.

Setting a calming and effective bedtime rituals takes time. Don't expect your child to readily except these rituals at first. Give them at least three or four days to get used to them. The key is to stick with your rules and expectations. Once your child sees that you're not going to back down from the rituals, he or she will begin to accept them.

Faten Abdallah is freelance writer and a part time university education instructor. Abdallah has about 10 years of writing background. As an educator of all age levels, she has more than 15 years in the field of education. She is always studying different types of issues related to families.

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