1)  Keep your toddler’s sleep schedule in mind when visiting family and friends this holiday season.  If festivities interfere with bedtimes or nap times, try to make arrangements for your child to stick to their schedule.  Ask ahead of time if there is a quiet place where your child can lie down for a nap.  Plan quiet activities for older children during rest periods.  Toddlers need sleep to recuperate after playing and visiting.  Their immunity and development are hindered if they don’t get the rest that they need.

2)  Don’t let your toddler get lost in the excitement.  Sometimes adults get so caught up in visiting with each other, keeping the house clean, and preparing big meals, that they neglect to pay attention to their toddlers.  Toddlers need time with people who love them to relax and center themselves.  Plan some reading time, quiet lap time, or even some kid Christmas movie time where your toddler can relax and enjoy some human touch.  Most relatives are happy to help you by reading to your child or taking them on a quick stroll.

3)  Don’t neglect outdoor play time.  Outdoor play is important, especially if your child is visiting houses where they are not allowed to run and play like usual.  Designate at least thirty minutes, twice a day, and take the kids outside.  If weather doesn’t permit, try to spend time by windows or on covered porches where they can still get some sunlight.  The vitamin D that we get from the sun on our skin helps us to keep a sunny disposition throughout the winter months.  It also helps us to sustain energy during the day and sleep well at night.

4)  Plan age-appropriate activities.  This is your chance to have your child create something that you may treasure for the rest of your life.  Homemade Christmas tree ornaments are fun to make and make wonderful gifts and keepsakes.  Plan activities that all of the children in the house can participate in.  Bake and decorate Christmas cookies.  Print out photos of each child and let them make ornaments and cards.  Have a scavenger hunt or announce that it is hide-and-seek time.  Being directed by adults helps children learn to listen and get along with each other.

5)  No matter what you do, just make sure that there are things planned for your toddler.  A good mix of quiet and exciting activities will help them to keep their stress levels down while teaching them about your traditions and having fun.  Provide learning toys or preschool toys for visiting toddlers to play with.  An activity table will not make a mess and will encourage cooperative play among friends and family.  A good variety of children’s rugs, soft play toys, and daycare toys will quietly entertain toddlers while you enjoy the holiday season.

At your toddler’s bedtime everyone will be tired.  An easy and happy bedtime with your toddler going to sleep and you having a break is just what you need!

To have a happy toddler bedtime your toddler needs to be ready to go to sleep. Make sure his day time naps are neither too long nor too late in the day.  If he’s slept too much during the day he simply won’t be tired enough to go to sleep in the early evening.  This means that you may need to re-jig his day so that you are not in the car or buggy in the late afternoon otherwise your toddler may have an involuntary “powernap”!  Of course, sometimes this can’t be avoided, but if it can, then do avoid it as it will scupper his bedtime.

Assuming he is ready for sleep at bedtime, then have a calming and relaxing bedtime routine. This could be for example, suppertime, little play, teeth cleaned, bathtime, story time and a good night cuddle.  Make sure you have enough time in the day time for cuddles otherwise when your toddler has a goodnight cuddle he’ll want it last a long time!

Sometimes a child does not want to be left alone in his bedroom and then either the parent will enforce it or the parent will stay the room and read until their child goes to sleep.  Remember that your child is going through lots of different stages very quickly and may need extra reassurance at this age.  Reading quietly in his room whilst he goes to sleep may be very reassuring for him and for you, a time to relax.  Reassuring a child is not spoiling him.  He won’t always need reassurance but sometimes it will help him end his day happily.

If your child is scared of the dark, then do not enforce darkness in his room.  A toddler’s imagination is very active and a child should never be kept in fear.  Allow a lovely nightlight or keep the door open with the landing room light on.

Make sure his room is a welcoming place and that he loves his bed.  Toddler beds and fun blankets are available and can really help with a happy bedtime for your child, and so for you.

Black out curtains are wonderful for keeping a room dark in the mornings so that your child is not simply woken by the sunlight streaming in his bedroom.

When you are away keep your toddler bedtime routine the same as at home and bring his familiar bedding.  In this way, you should be able to get time off in the evening so that you too can enjoy your holiday!

1. Bedtime routines are really important and they need to start really from supper time onwards.  Write yours down (and do not include any telly time after supper time as it’s too stimulating and won’t help your toddler settle) and stick to it every night as toddlers love the security of routine.

2. Make sure they love their toddler bedroom.  Investigate lovely toddler beds and toddler bedding. There are such a huge choice available and it’s worth choosing one which your toddler loves.

3. Make sure your toddler feels safe in their bedroom. Night lights, doors ajar are fine.  Never confine them into their room with a locked door or force them to sleep in the dark.  Toddlers are very imaginative and are easily scared.

4. Be clear, firm and gentle too.  All parents need patience and at the end of the day this can difficult but stay in control of yourself.  Keep repeating that it’s sleep time gently and they will go to sleep eventually.

5. Work together with your partner.  Two parents supporting each other is much easier than one alone.  If you are a single parent then keep the boundaries with your child clear and be gentle on yourself.  Parenting is demanding and you need to look after yourself in order to look after your child.

6.  If your toddler does not want to go to sleep or wakes up too early you need to take a new look at his day time naps and probably rejig them over a few days.  It will definitely be worth the effort.  Afternoon naps need to be early on and not too long.

7.  If your toddler wakes up a lot during the night you need to make a choice.  Either allow them to come into your bed or take them back to their toddler bed every time.  You need to stick with the one you decide.  If your toddler wriggles then you need to take them back to their bed so that you can get some sleep.

8. Be patient about night time potty training.  Bedwetting is very common amongst children so only try it when your toddler’s night time nappies are dry for at least a week and then prepare thoroughly so that any accidents can be sorted out with minimum fuss.

9. Black out curtains are fantastic – invest in some and bring them with you when you go away.

10. A cranky parent usually contributes to a cranky toddler and visa versa!  So, make sure you get enough sleep and if you aren’t, then bring in some help from friends and family.

Make your toddler bedtime a happy time and see www.toddlerbedtimetips.com to help you and your toddler get better sleep!

There are many instances in which young moms put a baby in child seat on top of a washing machine. Never do it! It is unsafe. Also, due to the inquisite nature of babies to investigate their surroundings, they develop a natural tendency to be attracted to such products. When they are able to walk, they will come back to examine the washing machine.

It is also a good idea to buy music that is designed for toddlers. Music in natural tones such as water splashing, wind blowing or another natural phenomenon is more likely to soothe the baby’s nerve. Apart from the mechanical device, a pacifier is always an excellent choice. Parents are told not to use pacifiers as it gets difficult to get rid of the habit, but nothing is farther from truth. Pacifier is the single most useful invention designed for children. Had it been a problem, it would never be successful in the first place. Parents use it because it has proven itself, time and time again. Yes, over-reliance is bad but than excess of everything is bad. Isn’t it?

On the list of the things to do are:
1.Made bedtime quality time. This should be a special time for you to interact with your child. You can read a story, say prayers, or some other “special” routine you would like to use before you turn off the lights and say goodnight.
2.Figure out the best bedtime for your child. Not every child needs the same amount of sleep as another. This applies to naptime as well. Some two years old no longer need naps while others still need that afternoon resting period. Notice when your child is beginning to run down in the evening, this would be the perfect time for bed. If you wait past this time, they will soon get another burst of energy and then will not want to go to bed.
3.Stay on a routine. Yes, routines are very important. They should wake up at the same time each day, eat meals at the same time and of course go to bed at the same time each evening. This includes babies. Children like to know what to expect and this will help them understand that bedtime is bedtime.
4.When you create your routine, be sure you can stick to it no matter where you might be such as your parent’s home.
5.You may wish to use sound to help lull them to sleep such as a vaporizer or a CD with ocean sounds, etc… this helps block out other distractive sounds that might keep them awake.
6.Try using dimmer lights in the evening prior to bedtime and then use bright lights in the morning.

On the list of the things not to do are:
1.Never give your baby or toddler a bottle of juice or milk to help soothe them to sleep. If you must give them a bottle, give them one with water.
2.Solid food should not be given to a child until they reach at least 6 months of age. If their bodies are not ready for solid food, it can cause them to have a stomachache and they are less likely to sleep well.
3.Do not keep toys in your childs bed. It is okay to have one to sleep with but that is enough. The more toys they have at their disposal the more likely they are to stay awake and play.
4.Do not use bedtime as a punishment. Remember, you want them to enjoy getting rest if they look at it as punishment they are never going to want to go bed.
5.Prior to bedtime, do not give your child drinks such as tea, sodas, or hot chocolate. These have caffeine in them and this can keep them awake.

Figuring they’ll enjoy as much time as they possibly can with baby during her first few months, they shy away from creating a routine, dismissing the notion as old fashion.

A year or two down the road, however, these same parents often find themselves at a loss on how to get an irritable toddler into bed.

It is then the light bulb shines bright and they look jealously at other parents who report that thanks to their baby sleep schedule they only have minor problems getting their little ones off to dreamland.

The importance of a schedule goes beyond simply parents’ convenience (or inconvenience)!

Remember, setting up a good schedule can take some work, ritual and even elbow grease at first.

When baby gets used to a routine of, for example, waking at 7, napping at noon and going to bed at 8, everyone benefits.

Here are 5 more good reasons to start a baby sleep schedule…

It’s better for baby’s nature. Babies grow at a tremendous pace. They simply need their sleep and a whole lot of it. When they don’t get it, everyone pays. If they do get the rest they truly need and it’s adhered to as much as possible, baby benefits the most.

It helps baby feel secure. When a baby sleep schedule and bedtime routine are brought into play, she always knows what to expect. While she might not always like it, the routine is a comfort for a baby

TechniquesOne of the most effective and time proven technique is to set up a sleeping time and stick with it. An hour before you go to sleep, lay down with the baby and start pacifying. All moms have different approaches. You can either breast feed the baby, give her a warm bath or simply a bottle of milk will do.

Whatever you try, remember that the routine is not disturbed and is regularly carried out at the exact time of the night. This will let the baby know that it is bedtime. You can also use swaddling the baby. Babies like to be snuggled in the warm blanket. Wrap the baby in blanket and try it with the above mentioned techniques.

A few moms are cautious of babies sucking their thumbs. This is a natural tendency of a young child and you don’t have to worry about it until the permanent teeth began to grow. Most babies might do it after you give them milk or a warm bath. Depending on the age of the baby, you can try lullaby or play a soft music.

It is also essential that you don’t take the baby in your lap to cradle them. It will be almost impossible for the baby to sleep once you put them down on the bed or the bassinet. Yes, you can cradle the bassinet. Developing a sleeping time is not a cure for a good night sleep but it is the most vital step in getting your baby to start sleeping at night.

Children under age two – Need at least thirteen to seventeen hours of sleep a night.

Toddlers over age two – Need at least nine to thirteen hours of sleep at night.

Age Ten – Need ten to eleven hours of sleep. Teens need this amount of sleep through puberty and their final growth spurts.

Age 16 and up – Need between six and nine hours of sleep at night.

Over age 65 – Need between six and eight hours of sleep.

Where do you fall on this scale? Are you sleep deprived?