At times, you may be in a nightly battle to get your toddler to sleep. Perhaps worse, your lovable lot may even refuse to go to bed. You may feel vexed by your toddler’s behaviour and quite confused, too.
Well, the reasons your toddler may be resisting bedtime could be many. Your toddler may not be winding down enough before going to bed or may be spending too much screen time. It may not be easy for you to create good sleeping habits in your toddler and you may have to struggle against your kid’s fight to stay up late.
Why Won’t My Toddler Sleep?
You can help your child snooze if you know what are the possible reasons for his sleep difficulties.
Your toddler’s nap may be too long or too short and it may be making him difficult to calm down during his bedtime.
Your toddler may be afraid of staying away from you and could be having separation anxiety.
Or else, your little one may have a stuffy nose and that may be making it difficult for him to drift to his dreamland.
Your tot may have just learned walking and talking which may have led to sleep regression and a fussy sleeper.
Or else, your little one’s sleep cycles could be off as he may be constantly trying to learn new things.
Moreover, your toddler may not be simply interested in following the sleep rules as he may want to go to bed with you and just doesn’t want to sleep alone.
How To Get Your Toddler To Sleep
Your toddler may be going through a lot of changes and may be quite eager to explore his surroundings. Your little one may be giving you a hard time but you only need to have patience.
Here are some insights into sleep issues that you may be having, and what to do when your child refuses to go to bed at night.
Your Toddler Needs a Bedtime Routine
Toddlers tend to be clingy and cranky when they are exhausted. They may be annoying but you can create a soothing bedtime routine for your toddler. It may help your child to relax before the lights are out.
For instance, you can set up some calm activities before your child goes to bed every night. Dim the lights and play some soothing music, or read a book or shower your baby.
You may even sing a song or tell a story. You may also give lots of cuddles to your baby so that he will be able to sleep peacefully.
Your Toddler Needs Comfort
Your child may insist on choosing a stuffed toy that he wants to sleep with. For instance, it may be his favourite stuffed animal, a teddy bear, or a blanket.
If he is scared of the dark, you can also put up a nightlight to ease his worry. Your toddler may also choose between his pair of pajamas or a couple of storybooks that he likes.
Keep Activities During the Daytime
Make sure that your toddler has plenty of playful activities during the day. It could be running in the backyard or taking a walk in the garden.
That way, it may help your toddler burn his energy and enable him to have a good nap at night.
Stay Away From Engrossing Activities
You may ease your toddler’s sleep by turning off all devices an hour before bedtime. It may be watching his favourite cartoons on television or playing video games.
Avoid your toddler from indulging in engrossing activities, like a jigsaw puzzle or doing a craft. Such activities will make it difficult for your toddler to wind down before his sleep time.
Try Setting The Limits
Toddlers often make ample requests or excuses to get out of bed. It could be asking for a glass of water or requesting to narrate more stories. They may also plead with you to sing more songs or for more snuggles.
It may be hard for you to resist and you may fall victim to your tot’s demands. Your tot may often try to constantly leave his room but you can set the limits. Tell him gently that he is allowed just one extra glass of water or one extra kiss. That way, you can ensure and cajole your little one to go to sleep.
Shorten Naptimes During the Day
Your child may not drift off immediately as he goes to sleep. He may take an hour or more to fall asleep every night.
To ensure that he stays in bed or at least doesn’t leave his room. He can share secrets with his teddy or look at some pictorial book.
You can also push his bedtime a little late, say half an hour. You can also shorten his naptimes during the day so that he gets tired enough during his bedtime.
Turn off the Noise
Your tot may insist on leaving his room if he hears too much noise coming from the rest of the house. He may not want to miss the fun if his older siblings are wide awake and communicating loudly.
You can try to turn down the noise by putting a white noise machine by the bed.
Your toddler may also get distracted if the room is too hot or too cold. At this moment, you can switch on the fan or turn up the heat.
Be Steady with your Schedule
Initially, you may find it difficult to stick to your schedule. But be consistent about it as your toddler may take some time to shift his habits.
You may wait for a week or so to see if your plan works. If it doesn’t, then you can reschedule your tot’s bedtime.
Reward Kids in the Morning
If your child sleeps on his own, you can reward your child in the morning. It could be a small trinket or a small plastic animal near his bedside
You can tell him that the sleep fairy has rewarded him. Keep a jar and tell your tot to collect them. That way, it will help your toddler to stay motivated to go to bed the next day.
It is not easy for any parents to create good sleeping habits in their toddler, but be consistent and have patience, Your toddler will gradually learn new sleep habits!
