Every parent dreads the pitter-patter of tiny feet past ten in the evening. This is your downtime, after all, and you’re about to hit the sack yourself. Still, your youngster’s in tears because, yet again, they can’t sleep. This is a reality many parents face nightly, and it’s an issue we often pin on bad behavior or a quest for attention. But, that’s not to say all kids who keep waking up do so to be naughty. With this in mind, parents who deal with night terrors regularly might want to consider the following possible non-behavioral issues that could be behind them.
Are Your Kids Night Time Terrors Or Innocent Sleep Victims?
A lack of bedtime routine
A bedtime routine is fundamental for helping youngsters to unwind and sleep better. As a parent, it’s your job to make sure that you get this right. If you’ve never exactly turned your attention here, then, it should come as no surprise that your kids are struggling.
Going straight from bed to screen, or playing high energy games minutes before you call curtains is guaranteed to prevent kids from getting the rest they need. Instead, implement routines that make bedtime less stressful for everyone.
Planning bathtime before bed can work wonders here, as can setting aside no-screen time during which you read with the kids or something similar. You may also find that it helps to get them into their PJs before these efforts. That way, your kids might start feeling sleepier each night without even knowing why it has happened.
Too much noise to deal with
For light young sleepers especially, the noise outside the house can prevent sleep from ever being unbroken, hence why your kids always end up coming downstairs! Single-glazed windows are the worst culprits for letting noise in, but old entry doors and the like can also be a nightmare for this.
If your kids keep waking up, then you might want to consider replacing those windows with more soundproof options or investing in well-sealed new entry doors that reduce noise levels more than you would imagine. Even if you live right next to a road, these small steps could create a peaceful home haven that soon sees your kids sleeping through without worry.
Be aware, too, of the noise you make. Speaking too loudly or turning the television up could disrupt your kids no end, and that will wake them up no matter how good the soundproofing elsewhere in your house.
Too many distractions in the bedroom
If you let your kids leave their iPads and toys all over the floor at bedtime, is it any surprise they aren’t sleeping the way they should? Distractions like these are like kiddie kryptonite, and even tired children will resist the urge to sleep so they can carry on playing. Make sure that doesn’t happen by being clear about the need for a clean room with everything in its place come bedtime. That way, the temptation will be out of sight and mind, leaving your kids to start sleeping through the night at last.
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