Child Sleep Archives - Parenting Foundations

The Benefits of a Bedtime Routine: A Pathway to Better Sleep and Well-being

by Brenda McSween | Child Sleep, Parenting

In today’s fast-paced world, establishing a consistent bedtime routine can be a game-changer for both children and adults. A bedtime routine is more than just a series of steps to prepare for sleep; it is a ritual that signals to the body and mind that it is time to wind down and rest. This blog post will explore the numerous benefits of a bedtime routine, from improving sleep quality to enhancing overall well-being.

Improved Sleep Quality

One of the most significant benefits of a bedtime routine is improved sleep quality. Consistency in bedtime rituals helps regulate the body’s internal clock, also known as the circadian rhythm. When the body knows what to expect, it can prepare for sleep more effectively. This leads to falling asleep faster, experiencing fewer awakenings during the night, and waking up feeling more refreshed.

Reduced Stress and Anxiety

A well-structured bedtime routine can significantly reduce stress and anxiety. The predictability of a routine provides a sense of security and control, which is particularly beneficial for children. For adults, engaging in calming activities such as reading, taking a warm bath, or practicing mindfulness can help ease the mind and reduce the day’s accumulated stress.

Enhanced Cognitive Function

Quality sleep is crucial for cognitive functions such as memory, attention, and problem-solving. A consistent bedtime routine ensures that you get the restorative sleep needed for optimal brain function. For children, this is especially important as their brains are still developing. A good night’s sleep can improve their ability to learn, concentrate, and perform well in school.

Better Emotional Regulation

Sleep and emotional regulation are closely linked. Lack of sleep can lead to irritability, mood swings, and difficulty managing emotions. A bedtime routine that promotes good sleep hygiene can help stabilize mood and improve emotional resilience. This is beneficial for both children, who may struggle with tantrums and emotional outbursts, and adults, who need to manage stress and maintain emotional balance.

Strengthened Family Bonds

For families, a bedtime routine can be a valuable opportunity for bonding. Activities such as reading stories, talking about the day, or simply spending quiet time together can strengthen the parent-child relationship. These moments of connection are essential for emotional development and can create lasting memories.

Promotion of Healthy Habits

A bedtime routine can also be an excellent way to instill healthy habits. For children, this might include brushing teeth, washing hands, and changing into pajamas. For adults, it could involve skincare routines, stretching, or preparing for the next day. These habits, when practiced consistently, become ingrained and contribute to overall health and well-being.

Reduction of Sleep Associations

Sleep associations are conditions or objects that a person believes they need to fall asleep. For children, this might be a bottle, rocking, or a specific toy. A bedtime routine can help reduce these associations by creating a consistent environment that signals it is time to sleep. This can lead to more independent sleep and fewer disruptions during the night.

Support for Developmental Milestones

For children, sleep is crucial for growth and development. A bedtime routine can support developmental milestones by ensuring they get the necessary amount of sleep. For example, during periods of rapid growth or learning new skills, children may need more sleep. A consistent routine can help meet these needs and support healthy development.

Improved Physical Health

Quality sleep is essential for physical health. It supports the immune system, helps regulate hormones, and allows the body to repair and rejuvenate. A bedtime routine that promotes good sleep hygiene can contribute to better physical health, reducing the risk of illnesses and improving overall well-being.

Increased Productivity and Performance

For adults, a good night’s sleep can lead to increased productivity and better performance at work. When the body and mind are well-rested, focusing, making decisions, and handling complex tasks is easier. A bedtime routine that ensures quality sleep can be a key factor in achieving professional and personal goals.

Tips for Establishing a Bedtime Routine

Set a Consistent Bedtime: Go to bed and wake up as close as possible to the same time every day, even on weekends.
Create a Calming Environment: Make your bedroom sleep-friendly by keeping it cool, dark, and quiet.
Limit Screen Time: Avoid screens at least an hour before bed to reduce exposure to blue light, which can interfere with melatonin production.
Engage in Relaxing Activities: Read a book, take a warm bath, or practice mindfulness to signal to your body that it is time to wind down if this works for you or your child.
Physical activity as part of the routine: Some people can benefit from a burst of activity before sleep. (PS Get your mind out of the gutter if it landed there)
Avoid Stimulants: Limit caffeine and sugar intake in the evening to prevent sleep disruptions.

Conclusion

A bedtime routine is a powerful tool for improving sleep quality and overall well-being. By creating a consistent pre-sleep ritual, you can enjoy the numerous benefits of better sleep, reduced stress, enhanced cognitive function, and stronger family bonds. Whether you are establishing a routine for yourself or your children, the effort will pay off in the form of healthier, happier, and more restful nights.

If you require further support in creating a bedtime routine that supports your child’s ability to sleep, you can book a Parenting Power Hour with Brenda.

Routines and Schedules

by Brenda McSween | Baby Sleep, Child Sleep, Infant, Parenting, Parenting Tools, School Age, Toddlers and Preschoolers

It is times like this that I want to go back to my past self and give myself a high five!! The routines we put in place when our son was 3 years old or younger are still in place with some minor changes through the years and they are still working well 9 years later!! Bliss, I tell you!

Schedule Versus Routine

A routine is a series of things we do before or after an event.

A schedule is based on set times when certain events occur.

Schedules and Routines both have their place.

I find that set schedules do not work as well with infants but having a variety of routines in place does work well.

We used to have a screen time schedule here which worked like a charm! Our son watched a show at about 8 am, 11 am (when he is home), and 4 pm. We did have to be a bit flexible but we put in this place because he would focus hugely on watching his programs. “Can I watch a show” (over and over).

Once the set times were in place, the constant asking for a show came to a complete stop. My response was “yes you can at __ time”. After staying consistent with this for a while he really took to it.

As he has grown we have been able to be way more flexible. He knows his time limits and he works with them.

What are the benefits of routines and schedules??

When children know what to expect, they feel more secure and are more willing to follow through with tasks.

I often have parents ask why their child is so well-behaved at daycare or school and not as much at home. The first thing is that children will unload their feelings at home where they feel safe. The second thing is that there is a great deal of structure with routines and schedules so the children know what to expect.

I often recommend that parents maintain similar schedules and routines at home.

You may find that you continue certain routines from your childhood. It is really cool how routines and schedules can really help children feel safe, secure, and be willing to do the steps without even realizing it.

I have to admit that our morning routine is my favourite.

Morning routine:

Come in and give mom a hug
Bathroom
Snuggles with Mom and/or Dad
Get Dressed
Start watching You-Tube (Pause when breakfast is ready)
Eat Breakfast
Brush Teeth
Put on socks
Finishing watching You-Tube while getting the outdoor gear on
Out the Door

It typically is very smooth and we have been doing a routine similar to this since he was 3!

There are a few things that you can do to help your child get familiar with a routine.

Be consistent
Use visuals (written list for older children and list using pictures for younger children)
Use verbal reminders
Use a timer to remind your child when they have to move to the next step

You can use routines throughout your day! Have fun fitting in the routines and do not forget to make them a little fun for your child as well!!

If you would like some help figuring out how routines and schedules can help your family, please feel free to book a free 15-minute consult to ask how I can help. You can book the free call by clicking on the following link 15-minute free call

Pacifier: The Real Deal

by Brenda McSween | Baby Sleep, Child Sleep, Infant, Parenting, Toddlers and Preschoolers

A pacifier (aka soother, dummy, sucky, etc) can be a blessing and a curse at the same time.

The sucking reflex is a very calming for many children. It is a very natural thing. Children come out of the womb with the ability to suck and they love it!! Many of you may even have pictures of your little one sucking while in the womb!

As children age, the soother can become an object that they depend on greatly. I believe this is often when pacifiers become an issue.

What is the big deal about a Pacifier?

The following is a list of the reasons that a soother can become an issue:

Children can begin to develop dental issues with prolonged pacifier usage after 2 to 3 years of age.
Children that keep the pacifier in their mouth all night may struggle with getting into the deeper stages of sleep.
You may find yourself going on a soother hunt several times a night in a dark room!
Your child needs your help to put the soother back in their mouth during each wake-up! We all wake every to 60 to 90 minutes.

When should you consider removing the Pacifier?

This is completely up to you; however, there are a few things that would cause me to encourage you to drop the pacifier. The following are my reasons for dropping the pacifier:

Your child is not able to go back to sleep with out you inserting the pacifier and they are in a different room than you. Your sleep is definitely affected.
Your child is not appearing well rested. This will be evident with their behaviour during the day.
Your child’s speech is impacted by the pacifier.
Dental issues are beginning to develop.

How can you remove a Pacifier?

There are a number of ways that you can remove a pacifier from your child. The older your child is the harder it can become; however, it is possible and may not be as hard as you think. Here are some common ways to remove the pacifier:

Cold Turkey:

This may seem to be the harshest method but in reality, it is the easiest. Stop giving the pacifier. At first, your child will protest; however, you can add more comfort to your child during this transition which will help with removing the pacifier.

This is the best method for children under 1 year of age.

Gradual Removal:

This is when you start reducing when the soother is offered during the day. For example, only offering the pacifier during rides in the vehicle and in bed. After a few weeks of only offering it during designated times, you then cut it out completely. The first few days without the pacifier are trying times but it does get better with time.

This is the method that we used with our son. When he was just over a year, we only offered the soother in the vehicle and while he was in the crib for a nap or bedtime. I would offer a snack in the vehicle when needed and offer comfort objects (ie his lovey) when he needed something other than my comfort to calm him. Then we set aside 4 days where my husband and I could take turns offering him support through the night if he needed it. The first night he requested it a few times at bedtime but we stated “it is all gone” and offered him a hug. at bedtime, it took a few extra minutes to put him to sleep but that was it. He woke once during the night and needed comfort to go back to sleep. Night 2 he asked at bedtime and we stated the same message “it is all gone”. He fell asleep and stayed asleep all night. That was it!

This is the best method for children between 1 to 2 years of age.

Soother Fairy:

This is when your child gathers up all of their soothers and places them in a spot where the soother fairy (aka you) will remove the pacifiers and replace them with an object that your child will enjoy or has been asking for. For younger children, it is a good idea to replace the pacifiers with an object that can be used as a comfort object. After the pacifiers are gone you may have to deal with an upset child during sleep times or periodically throughout the day. The best thing to do is make sure you dispose of the pacifiers so you do not give it back to your child.

This is a method applicable to children over the age of 2 but best for children close to age 3.

Stuff a Bear:

This is when you bring your child to a place that makes stuffed animals and brings along the pacifiers. Your child then stuffs the pacifiers in the bear or whatever stuffed animal your child chooses. Then voila you have Soother Bear! When your child requires support you can remind her to grab her bear and also provide hugs and extra comfort when needed. This can be a quick solution for some children. Some children do get frustrated that they know where the pacifier is but cannot get it.

This is another method that is good for children over the age of 2. This is my preferred method for children that are closer to 2.

Deflating the Pacifier:

There are a couple of ways to do this; however, before proceeding I would like to remind you to proceed with caution with this method. The soother can become a choking hazard as the material gets compromised when you deflate the soother. This is when you poke holes in the soother so your child will no longer be able to suck the soother like she did before. Some children do not care and keep chewing on the soother. Other children will just stop using the soother as they are no longer getting the benefits from the soother.

This method is good for children over 1.

Chopping the Pacifier:

This is when you cut off a little piece of the pacifier. I advise you to proceed cautiously as this can also be a choking hazard. You usually start with the tip and then every few days chop off a bit more until there is nothing left but the plastic handle. Some children will just stop using the pacifier altogether and some will hold onto the plastic handle and suck on the plastic. If this is the case for your child I would then use another method to get rid of the pacifier all together.

This method is good for children over 2.

As with all things related to children and parenting, there is no right or wrong answer to how you should proceed with removing your child’s pacifier. Hopefully, one of the methods in this article will help your child with removing their dependence on the pacifier.

If you have any other questions or need assistance with coming up with a plan to assist your child with becoming pacifier free, please feel free to post a question in the forum area.

Take care and have a lovely day!

Sleep: The Power of 15 minutes

by Brenda McSween | Baby Sleep, Child Sleep, Naps, Parenting, Short Naps, Toddlers and Preschoolers

I often find it incredible how a simple 15 minute time interval can make such a difference.

When we are teaching our young children how to sleep I find that people will move mountains, buy all the gadgets available, read all the books and not be aware of the power of a time block that will improve sleep immensely.

It can be really frustrating as a parent when a little one seems to be getting in the groove of sleeping and then bam, sleep has exited the building. Adding 15 minutes of being awake before each sleep can be an absolute game changer!

Yes, you read that correctly! Add 15 minutes of playtime, interaction time, or awake time before you offer sleep.

If your child has been sleeping okay and then things fall off the rails, simply add 15 minutes of awake time before you offer a nap or bedtime.

Falling off the rails usually means waking up several times a night, waking for a long period of time, waking at the crack of dawn, or fighting to go to sleep. Often when you add the 15 minutes of awake time your child gets back on track quite quickly.

You may find that you are adding 15 minutes of awake time every couple of weeks. That is quite normal!

Another way to use the 15-minute block of time is to only spend 15 minutes trying to get your child back to sleep after a short nap.

I often hear families that will keep trying to get their child back to sleep every 30 minutes or so after a short nap. This turns into an exercise of frustration for the child and parent. After 15 minutes of trying to get your child back to sleep, stop and wait for the next period of time when your child is ready for sleep according to her desired wake time.

Do not underestimate the power of the 15-minute block, especially with your child’s sleep!

Happy Parenting and Sleeping,

Brenda

White Noise or Not?

by Brenda McSween | Baby Sleep, Child Sleep, Parenting Tools, Sleep Training

There seems to be this constant issue where something is good for a bit; then, bang now it is bad. I have also seen when bad things are now good (do not introduce certain foods until 1, now do it as soon as you introduce solids). Let the confusion about what to do with a baby happen again: Should you use or not use a white noise machine or device?

If something is too loud it can affect a child’s hearing. Now do I think you should run into your child’s room and remove the white noise device you are using, NO! I do think you should make sure it is not on a loud setting and it is placed away from your child’s crib, bassinet, or bed.

What is the purpose of white noise anyways? In my opinion, the purpose of white noise is to reduce the effect everyday noises have on a child’s ability to remain asleep. The steady quiet hum in the background appears to reduce the number of times my child is startled awake. I have put a fan on in my little man’s room since he was just over 6 months. This has reduced the amount of tip-toeing the other people in the house have had to partake in.

Here are some of the tips/points to consider if you choose to use white noise:

It should be on a low setting.
The device should not be right beside your child.
Constant is better than intermittent. Some children will wake up if the white noise shuts off.
If your child really likes the background noise you may find yourself having to pack a white noise machine or similar device when you travel.

Ultimately, the final decision is up to you as a parent. If you are concerned, do not hesitate to remove the device or talk to your child’s doctor. I hope this post has reduced your questions or sense of uncertainty around using white noise as a tool in your home.

Happy sleeping, everyone!!

Key Night Time Phrase..What is the Point?

by Brenda McSween | Baby Sleep, Child Sleep, Infant, Sleep Training, Toddlers and Preschoolers

When we use a key phrase to identify that it is time to sleep, it can help with our little ones settling down and preparing for sleep. This settling down period can cause their bodies to start to produce melatonin.

Once a child is over 4.5 months of age they will begin the process of producing melatonin. Melatonin is the sleep hormone that allows our little ones to go to sleep and stay asleep for long periods of time.

I have had the opportunity to hear many different key phrases that people use for sleep. The following are some of the most common:

“Night Night”
“Sleepy Time”
“Good Night”
“Do do”
“Time for Sleep”

This key phrase comes in really handy in the middle of the night or early morning when your child requires a reminder that it is still time for sleep. When you use your key phrase it is often enough to help your little one attempt to go back to sleep. It basically does 2 things. It reminds them that it is still time for sleep and it allows them to hear your voice which can be very calming.

A key phrase may seem like a very simple tool; however, sometimes it is the small things that make a huge impact!!

As Always, Be the Parent You Want to Be!

PS. If you would like more help with help to improve your child’s sleep click here to book a free 15-minute consultation with me (Brenda McSween) or click on the Work with me Tab above to book a service.