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Just when you’ve thought you’ve hit the jackpot by getting your little one to sleep through the night, here come the toddler years. Whether your baby was a sleep angel or a party animal that stayed up to 3 am since birth, don’t be surprised if your toddler decided to start waking up in the middle of the night to pay you a little visit. Have you ever opened your eyes to find your kid standing next to the door and staring at you? This weird habit is all part of the 18 month sleep regression. This is when children stop sleeping through the night or start employing bedtime stalling tactics because they want to stay up with the grown ups. This is all because your toddler is so much more aware of things now. Who knew that a strong sense of self and their own ideas would lead to them deciding that bedtime didn’t have to exist anymore? If you’ve found yourself back to square one with your little one, here are a couple of tips to sleep train your toddler back to blissful uninterrupted nights.
1. Be Consistent With Their Routine
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When it comes to toddlers, consistency and predictability are your two key components to building any habit. And sleep must be treated as a habit that they should cultivate. So set up a quiet and consistent bedtime routine. Maybe this means changing into pajamas and getting you to read them a bedtime story. Maybe it’s switching on their bed lamp and singing a song. Whatever the case may be, make sure that the activity happens every single night. Another thing to keep in mind is to make sure bedtime is the same time every single night. If they are supposed to be in bed at 9pm, there must be no exceptions to this rule. Be it holidays, vacations or a late night get together, the kids go to bed on time. You can come up with a rhyme to keep them more engaged with the process. One popular one is ‘bath, brush (teeth), books, bed.’ A routine ensures that your child knows what to expect and helps him to develop a healthy pattern.
2. Add A Warm Bath To Your Child’s Routine
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There’s nothing a nice long bath can’t fix. We’ve all done this once in a while. Running yourself a warm water bath right before you go to sleep does wonders for you. So, why not use the same method on your little one? We understand that this isn’t a daily option. After all, you don’t need to bathe the kids everyday if they aren’t covered in mud. But if your child has had a rough few days in the falling asleep department, this will do the trick! Give your toddler a nice warm bath and let them throw on some fresh pajamas to help lull them to sleep. Now they’ll be all cozy and comfy enough to fall right asleep. Taking a bath will help your fidgety and active toddler slow down and wind down for the day. So, give it a go!
3. Provide A Bedtime Snack
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This is a great way to deter hunger wake-ups at 2am. Give your kids a light snack right before they go to sleep. Now, we suggest that you don’t give them the stereotypical staple that is cookies with milk. After all cookies have sugar which will just give them excess energy. And soon enough you’ll be burning the midnight oil right alongside your hyper sugar monster. However, a small snack with a protein and a complex carbohydrate within two hours of bedtime can do the trick. You could also keep a cup of water or their water bottle on their bedside table if they wake up thirsty at night. Problem solved!
4. Give Them Something To Snuggle With
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You may not be able to get them to sleep but Mr. Hearts The Second (a teddy bear) might. Having your toddler sleep with their favorite toy or their blanket can help deflect from many bedtime fights. As long as the object is safe and not a choking hazard, feel free to let them cuddle their way to sleep.
5. Assess The Situation
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Just because your child is awake does not mean they need you. Sometimes the best thing to do is nothing at all. Your child may wake up for a multitude of reasons. Maybe they had a bad dream, or they are hungry or they need to use the washroom. Most of the time, they wake up for no reason at all and will drift back to sleep when left alone. Rest assured that they will come to you if they need your intervention. You don’t need to stand by throughout the night.
Waking up in the middle of the night because of your toddler can be frustrating and irritating. But with a little patience and practice, this too shall pass. So stick to a routine and don’t give up. Happy parenting!
