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If you have a child then you know that sleep is a huge deal in your household. Your sleep depends on that of your child’s, so it’s safe to say that the moment they start sleeping alone is a game changer. You might expect your child to stay asleep the minute your little one switches from a crib to a bed, but don’t hold your breath because as per usual, things are never easy when it comes to kids. Chances are that your child is incessantly crying because they don’t like the change. But don’t worry, all you need is a good sleep training method to give your little one the zzz’s.
In This Article
1. Train During The Day
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- As a parent, one of the most effective approaches is to leverage your child’s enthusiasm for games in a constructive manner. Establish a routine of incorporating bedtime activities during the day in a playful manner. You can engage in tooth brushing, bedtime stories, and getting them into pajamas as part of your evening ritual. Remember to offer praise and encouragement whenever your child successfully stays in bed independently.
- Remember to keep it enjoyable, as it’s all about make-believe play. You can even switch roles, with your little one taking the role of the parent and tucking you into bed for a brief moment. Bringing a teddy bear or their favorite toy to bed can help them feel more at ease with the idea of being on their own. The aim is to ignite your child’s enthusiasm for the idea of going to sleep.
- The more often you train your child in this manner, the more effective it will be. So don’t hesitate to do this a few times per week. Make sure to space it out between bedtime as you don’t want your child to confuse the two. Practice this sometime in the afternoon or mid-morning, when your child is already busy playing.
2. Increase The Amount Of Time They Spend Alone In Bed By Taking Breaks
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- Your first step is to find out how long your child takes to fall asleep after lights out. It’s easy enough to do, especially if you stay with your child until they fall asleep. The only downside is that this technique requires additional energy and patience to complete this step. You may be exhausted especially if you have a job to get to in the morning but soon you and your baby will be peacefully asleep.
- Establish a solid nighttime routine. Brush their teeth and put them in pajamas and say some words of comfort when you tuck them into bed.
- Now watch the clock. If you tuck your child in bed at 9 and it takes them 15 minutes to fall asleep. Get up after 10 minutes and tell them that you’re going to fetch something or that you are taking a break but will be back soon. Then wait for 2 to 5 minutes.
- When you see that your child is still in bed shower them with praise and positive reinforcement. Kisses and cuddles are also great. Stay with them until they fall asleep.
- Do the same thing the next day except increase the time you spend “on break”. The amount of time your child will be able to be alone at night will slowly increase.
- You can stop doing this once your child is able to fall asleep independently for a week or when you can take a 30 minute break.
3. When All Else Fails Use “Excuse Me” Training
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- This one’s for the rebellious kids who just don’t want to stay in bed alone. Use a variation of the previous practice. The only difference is that this involves taking many short breaks. This works best if your child cries or gets up with you when you get up to leave, even for a minute.
- Just like in the previous case, sleep train your child during day time and establish a solid nighttime routine. Don’t forget to say goodnight nicely.
- Turn the lights off and then ask your child to excuse you for a moment. Leave the room to go turn off the TV or put the dishwasher on, for example.
- Stay out of the room for about 30 to 60 seconds. The time depends on how long your child can stay in bed without you in the room. Once, you’ve completed your task, come back to their room.
- Once you see your child tell them something nice. Make them feel like they have achieved something by staying in bed for that long.
- After a few minutes, tell them you need to step out again. The first night, you might need to do this more than 10 times. The second night, just increase the time that you step away so that your breaks are longer each night.
- You can stop this practice once your child is able to sleep by themselves for a whole week.
Sleep training takes time and practice. With a little bit of patience, your child should be able to sleep alone in no time. So, would you use any of these techniques? Let us know in the comments section!
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