Toddlers
<p><b>Tips to make bedtime easier</b></p>
<p>After a long day of working and daily demands, getting your child to bed can be a task on its own.</p>
<p><br />Establishing a good bedtime routine for your child not only helps their little bodies to rest, but when they don't get enough sleep, they can be irritable or hyper and have a harder time controlling their emotions.</p>
<p><br />When your child is sleep-deprived, they may also have behaviour problems, trouble paying attention and learning, and prone to excess weight.</p>
<p><br /><b>The key to a good night’s sleep</b><br />A set bedtime routine can help your child wind down before bedtime, so they can fall asleep more easily. Here are steps to take to ensure peaceful slumber for your little one.</p>
<p><br /><b>Establish a routine</b><br />Set up consistent bed and wake-up time routines to help encourage good sleep patterns. Incorporate bath times followed by a story time to help your little one ease into sleep. If your child takes longer than 30 minutes to fall asleep, she might need a longer wind-down time before turning the lights out to go to sleep.</p>
<p><br /><b>Make them part of the team</b><br />If they’re old enough to understand, use a picture chart to help your child learn the routine. Show them actions like changing clothes, brushing teeth, and reading a book.</p>
<p><br /><b>Keep naps brief</b><br />Most children stop napping at three to five years of age. If your child is over five years and still naps during the day, try to keep the naps to no later than early afternoon. Longer and later naps can make it harder to sleep at night.</p>
<p><br /><b>Make sure your child feels safe at night</b><br />If your child feels scared about going to bed or being in the dark, avoid scary TV shows, movies and computer games before bed. Together with your child, find ways to make them feel better about going to bed. This could involve keeping a lamp by their bedside with a dim, warm-coloured globe. Praise and reward your child whenever they’re brave enough to sleep through the night with no hassles.</p>
<p><br /><b>Check noise and light in your child’s room</b><br />Blue light from televisions, computer screens, phones and tablets suppress melatonin levels and delays sleepiness. Bright light an hour before bedtime can have the same effect on young children.</p>
<p><br /><b>Have supper early</b><br />Make sure your child eats enough for supper and at a reasonable time. Being hungry or too full before bed can make your child more alert or uncomfortable. This can make it harder for your child to fall asleep.</p>
<p><br /><b>Encourage natural light in the day</b><br />Encourage your child to get as much natural light as possible during the day, especially in the morning. Bright light suppresses melatonin. This helps your child feel awake and alert during the day and naturally sleepy toward bedtime.</p>
<p><br /><b>Avoid caffeine</b><br />Caffeine can be found in energy drinks, sodas, coffee, tea, and chocolate. Limit these foods and drinks, especially in the afternoon.</p>
