It is crucial for everyone  to get a good sleep especially kids who are developing mentally and physically. Here are some tips to help parents help their kids to have a good night sleep.

Incentives and rewards :  If your child is having a hard time sleeping in her  room, reward  her  when she is able to sleep in the room all night. You can also reward your child  for going to bed on time or being able to stay in bed till its time to wake up.

Bedtime routine : Sticking to bedtime routine is important as it helps kids feel secure because it offers predictability. For example, it is important to go to bed when its time and not let the child give excuses.

Its a phase : Sometimes your child may be facing regression because they are going through  a new developmental  milestone. In this case, you can consider pulling back a bit and consider what the child is going through.

Let your kids get involved : Let your child get involved in the writing of the bedtime ritual.  Let the child decide the bedtime stories they want to read, the pjs they want to wear, and other stuff. Let them help with the the steps in the sequence such as wear pj’s, brush teeth, read books, cuddles and light out. Review it together before hand so that you all know what is going to happen at each time.

Give the child your attention : Some children don’t sleep good at night because they seek attention. Spend quality time with your kids. It makes them feel noticed.

Let them talk about their dreams : If your child didn’t sleep well at night or had a nightmare, ask about it in the morning. If she talks about it in the morning, it  becomes less powerful and scary. Tell him you understand she’s afraid and re-assure her  that she’s safe.

Avoid screen time : It is a bad idea to use electronic screens at night.They stimulate the brain and make kids feel wired when they should infact be resting. It  inhibits the production of the sleep hormone melatonin and serotonin. Ideally kids should turn off screen time at least one or two hours before sleep time.