As a mother to four children, routine is everything to me and the most important routine is at bedtime. Without it, I am not sure if our family would be as happy as we are.
As a mother to four children, routine is everything to me and the most important routine is at bedtime. Without it, I am not sure if our family would be as happy as we are. Sleep is important, not only for a growing child but also for a busy parent. A good night’s sleep can help you feel so much better, and this makes me feel I can achieve pretty much everything.
I decided to start with a sleep routine after my second child. Although my first child had no such routine, he was a healthy and happy little boy; with the arrival of my second child, chaos started. I needed my evenings back, and with the children sleeping at different times during day and night, it wasn’t long before I felt like a walking zombie. I researched routines, and took elements from different places for things that I thought might work for us. I am pleased to say that I still use the same routine with my fourth child. I have adapted it slightly as the children have grown older, but the elements remain the same.
My bedtime routine starts the same for all four children with quiet time. The TV goes off, iPads are put away and the children have to tidy away their toys – apart from the baby, who just sits and watches intently. Then they have a shower or a bath and put on pyjamas. The baby is put into her nighttime nappy, with a splodge of Metanium Everyday Barrier Ointment which helps keep nappy rash at bay when changing is less frequent. The older ones are allowed to read some of their current book in bed and for the younger ones I dim the lights and read a quiet story. I tuck them into bed and the baby has bedtime bottle, her blanket and her musical toy. It really is as simple as that, a simple calm and relaxing time to help them to wind down and settle into a peaceful sleep.
Nighttime waking is something all parents have to deal with at some point, and again the key for me is to remain strong and do things the same each time. I do not turn any main lights on at night; if they wake I use a lamp or a torch. This is to show that nighttime is a time for sleeping. I also minimise talking and eye contact, obviously this isn’t for newborns, but older babies. This is hopefully showing them that it is not a time for attention or playing. In the morning I make sure the curtains are open and I greet them with good morning and plenty of talking.
It is as simple as that, I try and keep night times calm. It works for the children, and me and now evenings are time for some me-time!
*Disclosure
This is a sponsored post for Metanium Everyday Barrier Ointment, commissioned as part of my role as an official Emma’s Diary blogger.
I am a single mum to a beautiful 2 year old girl with a very large personality and the attitude to boot. She suffers from night terrors. At first she didn’t have a routine and I allowed her to sleep on my bed. At the start of January I implemented a routine for the entire day. The bedtime routine begins right after dinner. She has a bath, I put her into her pjs, give her a snuggle with all the lights of and some baby tv. At 630 I warm up some milk, change her nappy, get her to choose the evenings story. Then we go into her room, I show her the baby monitor is on, tuck her in, read her a story and kiss her goodnight and give her the reassurance that I’m in the next room. I have found that this routine has decreased the severity of the night terrors and some nights she doesn’t have them at all. I just wish I’d done it a lot sooner x