How to End Bedtime Brawls

We all suffer after the daylight savings time change. It's great having that extra hour of daylight after work but when bedtime nears, it's no picnic. I know Steph has been haveing a lot of trouble getting her kids back on track and I had a week of horrors myself with the two year old awake until 10.

I started by skipping the nap on Saturday and then put her in bed at 9. I have a strict lights out policy which was at 8:45 but I will do 9 for a week and then bump it back to 8:45 again. You can't bump back bedtime more then 15 minutes at a time, trying to get kids in bed that are going to bed at 10 will never work. Start at 9:45 with lights out and then bump it back 15 minutes every four or five days.

Do not engage in conversation. I'll hear her talking and singing and let her as long as the lights are out and she's in bed. But if she calls me I ignore her or just simply say, nite nite, or I'll tell her to lie down and go nite nite. Most of the time she says ok. If she continues I ignore her and she'll eventually quiet down. But it's imperative to not engage in conversation or they win and the battle will continue.

Create a routine. I think it's key to create a routine. Kids like the predictable and when they know the drill, they'll do it. So if you go up to bed every night at the same time and get ready in the same order. Trip to the bathroom, wash hands and face, brush teeth, move the the bedroom, change cloths, pick out one book each, get in bed and read, sip of water, hugs and kisses, lights out, good night. It will become motorized. It takes 21 days to create a habit so if you can try to instill this routine, in three weeks it should become easier.

A good idea for a little bedtime incentive is to try a reward system. The sticker chart really works and while it's not a long time solution, since it gets old, it should buy you the time to instill the routine. Have a bedtime sticker chart for each part of the routine completed successfully without a fuss. If one part is not complete, there is no sticker. And if they get out of bed after lights out, take away a sticker. Create a compelling reward or a special prize at the end of the week.

Good luck and good night.
Jan