If you’re a parent, chances are you’ve experienced those stressful evenings filled with negotiations, resistance, and the struggle to get your little one to sleep.
From toddlers negotiating for “one more story” to figuring out how to keep kids warm overnight, sleep time can feel more stressful than restful.
But according to sleep expert Jen Hamilton one of the biggest mistakes parents make is overstimulating their children during bedtime routines.
Jen Hamilton, CEO and creator of the WOT Baby Method told Daily Mail Australia: “In this haste to ‘make’ your little one sleep with lots of help, you can easily do the opposite and overstimulate them.
“To help your baby go to sleep you may provide a bedtime implementing rocking, patting, feeding, dummy sucking, a combination of all these things and then repeat.
“As babies grow and develop, all these things can stop working as they become more stimulating to their little active minds rather than calming them as it did when they were a newborn.”
She added: “To help your child go to sleep bedtime may be full of bedtime stories, drinks of water, brushing teeth, more drinks of water, lots of negotiating about things before you leave their room, a cuddle and a long lay down with them before you leave the room, more drinks of water and more negotiating.”
“All this indecision is overstimulating for little ones and what they really need is a healthy bedtime and bedtime routine, where you connect with them before bed and set consistent boundaries around bedtime.”
Establishing a positive bedtime routine helps toddlers wind down and feel ready for sleep, making it easier for them to settle back to sleep if they wake during the night.
A consistent routine helps promote healthier sleep patterns and better overall rest.
Hamilton emphasised the importance of setting clear, consistent boundaries to avoid prolonged bedtime delays.
To help children wind down, dim the lights, limit screen time, and encourage quiet activities.
If children wake up during the night, calmly return them to bed without engaging in conversation.
Naps should be scheduled earlier in the day to avoid interfering with nighttime sleep.
