Most parents, if not all, have had to deal with this at some point in their children’s lives. Children sometimes hate going to bed on time. Children can come up with all sorts of excuses to stay awake or even get out of bed. There are a number of factors responsible for children fighting sleep. Here are a few of them:
1. Over Stimulated
Kids are little learners. They are always curious, always eager to know everything about the world. They want to play, explore and learn; they do not want to miss anything and going to sleep make them feel like they are missing something. Parents are often eager to fulfill this need for their children, they are ready to answer any question, do all the silly little cute things their kids ask them to. This is a good thing, it is important to stimulate the child. However, over stimulating the child can lead to sleeplessness, and kids are easily stimulated by loud sounds, TV, too many activities, etc.
2. Full Feeding
Eating immediately before nap time makes it hard for kids to sleep, especially if they eat high caloric food and caffeine. Caffeine is a stimulant, it stimulates the brain and this can stop your kid from sleeping. Refined sugar is also a stimulant both refined sugar and caffeine will make you kid more alert and less inclined to sleep.
3. Sleeping Disorder (Insomnia)
Your kid might also be a victim of sleep disorder, say insomnia, which will require clinical help. Insomnia is disruption of sleep circle including difficulty sleeping or staying asleep. It can lead to waking up really early in the morning; it can last for a few days or maybe week. Kids with sleep anxiety can develop insomnia.
4. Sleep Anxiety
A good number of kids experience sleep anxiety, they worry about going to sleep sometimes even before bedtime. The fear that they won’t be able to sleep is the main cause, there are no monsters under the bed of course, but they are still afraid to go to sleep and a lot of parents have had to deal with this for a good number of times.
Why Kids Need Enough Sleep
Sleep is beneficial for your kid for the following reasons
1. Growth
Sleep is essential for growth because the growth hormones are secreted during deep sleep. In this regard, it is of utmost importance that kids go to bed on time so that they can have enough sleep and still be able to wake up early to get ready for school.
2. Healthy Heart
Kids with sleep disorders have excessive brain arousal during which can trigger the fight or flight response hundreds of times each night. Their blood glucose and cortisol remain elevated at night both are linked to higher level of diabetes, obesity and even heart attack. Experts believe that sleep can protect kids from vascular damage due to circulating stress hormones and arterial wall damaging cholesterol.
3. Weight
There is also increasing evidence that getting too little sleep causes kids to become overweight starting from infancy. Worn out kids eat differently than well-rested kids. Research has shown that children, like adults, crave higher-fat or higher-carb food when they are tired. When we have eaten enough to be satisfied, our fat cells create the hormone leptin, which signals us to stop eating. Sleep deprivation may impact this hormone, and kids keep on eating. Over time, kids who don’t get enough sleep are more likely to be obese.
4. Increases Attention
Enough sleep makes it easy for kids to focus and pay attention in class and do class work easily. However, children who consistently sleep fewer than ten hours a night before the age of 3, are three times more likely to have hyperactivity and impulsivity problem by age six.
5. Eases Learning
Sleep aids learning in kids of all ages, and education experts are finding that naps have a particular magic. Making sure that families get enough sleep is not easy especially with parents working longer hours. More elaborate after-school activities, bedrooms full of cool electronics, and the pressure to pack more into every day. However, the importance of enough sleep in the development of the child should be prioritized. A well-rested child is a smart, healthy and attentive child.
How to Help Your Child Sleep
The reasons your child fights sleep are not impossible to defeat, and as a parent, you have to know that your child doesn’t know the significance of sleep in their growth, development, and health. So it is up to you, to find ways to help your child go to bed at the right time every night. The following steps will help you do just that:
1. Establish a Solid Bedtime Routine
Children’s lives are regulated by routine throughout the day, from getting ready for school, breakfast time, play time, homework time, and bedtime. But most parents overlook the bedtime routine. It is beneficial to the child to go to bed early, so as a parent, you have to establish a solid bedtime routine and make sure your kids don’t miss their nap time.
2. Check in and Provide Comfort
If your kid has sleep anxiety, check in and comfort him/her, however, keep these comforting visits short. Also, when leaving, do not sneak out, sneaking out will add to your child’s anxiety. Again, be sure that you do not increase the anxiety of the child instead of reducing it.
3. Indulge a Little
Kids have supper active and wild imaginations; they would always want to know when and how they go to sleep. This will include a couple of request such as: one more bedtime story, or they might ask you to look under the bed to see if monsters are hiding there. While this can be tiresome for parents, sometimes it is best to give into these requests. However, it is important to set limits. Parents should let their kids know when the last request has been completed and stand their ground.
4. Turn off the TV
Exposure to light before bedtime can make it difficult for kids to sleep this applies to adults too but affects kids more. So, make sure to turn off the TV at least two hours before sleep. Working this element into a bedtime routine will help kids calm down at a faster rate and sync more easily into a regular sleep schedule.
5. Create a Calm Sleep Environment
Remember that it is the little things that transition your child from active and alert to calm and sleepy. Make it a routine that at a certain time of the night, you change your environment to signal that it is time to sleep. Turn off a few lights to keep your home dark, provide relaxing activities like art, speak to him/her quietly and softly, make bath time calm and relaxing, avoid tickling, roughhousing, or other activities that get him riled up, finally when reading bedtime stories, save the funny ones for during the day.
6. Slow Down and Connect Before Bedtime
Snuggle with your kid, read a book, talk about the day and listen to what he/she has to say. Right before bed is one of the best times to connect with your kid, don’t skip the pillow talk. But make sure this little conversations and child-parent bonding don’t last too long to become a habit for your kid. Five to ten minutes is enough and then let them know it’s time to go to bed afterward.
7. Offer a Reward System
If bedtime is a challenge for your kid, try offering a reward for good behavior and going to bed on time. Most kids love winning things, so if your kid is responsive to this approach, then try it. After a few days,youru kid will get used to going to bed on time without a fight.
8. Put Your Foot Down
Put your foot down on when bedtime should be. Be kind and calm, but be firm in your decision so that your kid knows that you are not playing around, don’t compromise about going to bed or staying in bed. Instead of accommodating your kid’s every whim and request, tuck them in bed, and explain that it is bedtime. Don’t allow them to wander into the living room or your bedroom and don’t give in to minor excuses he/she gives you just to get out of bed.
Conclusion
Children’s bedtime can be difficult for parents, especially after a stressful workday. All kids are different, yet it is common for them to avoid falling asleep for a number of reasons. To make sure your kid gets adequate hours in bed, develop a bedtime routine, indulge your child’s concerns a little bit, develop a reward system, limit screen time before bedtime, and keep your schedules consistent throughout the week. Some nights, sleep may feel like a hard-fought battle when you have kids, but the most important thing you can do to keep good sleep habits is to be consistent.
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