Since I gave birth to my third child Aly, sleep has become foreign to me. I can’t remember the last time I slept-in pass 9:30am. Shoot, it’s been months since I’ve slept pass 8am. Sleep affects almost everything in life. It affects mood, the ability to learn new things, and the immune system. A restless child, like my sweetie Aly, can cause stress on a marriage or relationship. A good night’s rest makes the whole family happy. Here are my seven nightly routines to help me keep some sanity:
1- Our night begins with bath time. The kids’ bath time order starts from the youngest to oldest. They take a warm bath, brush their teeth, and put on a fresh set of PJs.
2- A quick story comes next. I usually read the same book for one week. That way the kids learn the story very well, and they can read on their own or when at school.
3- TV OFF in their bedroom and the living room. My TV’s volume is lowered.
4- Dim lights or turn off unnecessary lighting. The low lighting will help with transition to the “darker” bedroom.
5- Bedtimes are staggered youngest to oldest. It’s only fair to have the older child stay up a little longer.
6- Older kids and adults….SHHHHH!!! Be kind and be quiet. There is nothing like loud conversation and laughter to wake up a sleeping child. That’s when you’d usually hear, “I need water” or “I have to pee.”
7- If a child wakes in the middle of the night, DO NOT turn on the lights! Unless the child is ill and vomiting the entire content of their stomach, leave the light switch alone. The light will keep them up longer. That’s a big NO!
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