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ADVICE RATING

4.89 (Highly recommend) from 20 votes (2140 Visits)

Bedtime is for Sleeping: Tricks to Get Your Little Ones Down for the Night

by jenlemen

(April 2007) (rank 4th)

Okay, so you figured out how to get the kids to bed--getting them to actually sleep is another story! Here are four tricks that work with babies, toddlers and school-aged children. They might even work on you! Add your own tips and tricks in the comments below.

Monkey see, monkey do. Children are social beings. Why sleep when you can entertain--or better yet be entertained by mom's theatrics at bedtime? I learned very early on that nothing sends the message that it's time for bed than closing your eyes yourself. Baby sees that the mommy show is over for the night and eventually decides to close her eyes, too. Try it!
Pat down. One of the most frustrating things about putting a baby down to sleep is having that same sleepy baby wake up the second you leave the room. Avoid this no-sleep scenario by staying an extra five minutes with your hands resting lightly on your baby's back or stomach. By lingering just a moment longer, you ensure your little one falls into the kind of deep sleep that can give you back the rest of your evening.
I can't stop yawning. Research shows that you're more likely to yawn if you see someone else doing it. I use this trick on my kids and it works every time. Rock-a-bye that baby and yawn your little heart away. Before you know it your little one will realize she is pretty sleepy, too.
Nothing to do but sleep. My oldest child had a very hard time falling asleep if she thought she might miss something exciting. Music, books, songs--all of it told her there was still time to party. The best trick for a kid like this is no tricks at all. Try a dark room, no noise, no light, no conversation, nothing. Combined with the tips above, this strategy can send her to DreamLand before you know it.

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ADVICE RATING

4.89 (Highly recommend) from 20 votes

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	September 2008 \| mjnbrn

Re: Bedtime is for Sleeping: Tricks to Get Your Little Ones Down for the Night

Hm. That sounds nifty. I will have to pass this on to my wife. She is having a terrible time getting our month old to stay asleep.

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	January 2008 \| cassaustin

Re: Bedtime is for Sleeping: Tricks to Get Your Little Ones Down for the Night

Great advice. I have tried all of these except to yawning thing. Mind you my little man is not too bad to get to sleep. It's keeping him that way that i am having drama's with at the moment! LOL

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	October 2007 \| Anne

Re: Bedtime is for Sleeping: Tricks to Get Your Little Ones Down for the Night

Patting works for me, especially when he is in my arms, but trying to pat through the bars of the cot is tricky and quite uncomfortable! I got the idea from a book called Helping Your Baby to Sleep: Why Gentle Techniques Work Best http://www.mothersdirect.com.au/prod1123.htm to hold my baby's hand to help him go to sleep. If he fell asleep in my arms but roused when I put him down, holding his hand helped him go straight back to sleep. The problem was that Matthew wouldn't stay asleep for more than a couple of hours. So we're back to co-sleeping now and everyone is getting better sleep! My mother-in-law was with us for the first 3 months and took Matthew to bed with her most of the time; when she left I tried transitioning him to the cot without success. He has slept through a few times of late so when he is doing this a bit more consistently I will try the cot again.

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	August 2007 \| ling-ling

Re: Bedtime is for Sleeping: Tricks to Get Your Little Ones Down for the Night

I agree with the light touch on the stomach, it really seems to help my 6 week old stay asleep after I put him down.

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	May 2007 \| Marglr

Geees

This starts getting around and kids won't stand a chance to party on till the night light burns out! Good tricks!

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	May 2007 \| TheMentorMom

Nice

Great tips, Jen. The patting on the back thing worked like a charm for my son who was a bit of a pain to get down as an infant. Now that I think about it, he still is! He's a night owl like me :)

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	5.00 (Excellent) \| May 2007 \| cheleinkal

Like Magic

On every and I mean EVERY child I ever cared for (excluding of course my own sigh) has gone to sleep in under 2 minutes by doing this simple thing and the other night even MY (wonders of wonders) child fell (to sleep) for it.

You lightly trace your finger from their hairline and down their nose. Try this on your self, it's VERY relaxing. if they don't close their eyes but are laying quietly you know you're on a winner. after about 6 strokes if eyes are still open lightly brush another finger at the same time (as though by accident) over one eye (kids are not good winkers), after max 5 times of this, they will (usually) keep their eyes closed and another 5-6 light strokes lighter and lighter so the last 2 you are not even actually touching them (try it on yourself) they are still feeling it, you can leave the room, they will be done enough to drift off the rest of the way on their own.

Now I have told you, I will have to kill you LOL.zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

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	5.00 (Excellent) \| May 2007 \| jenlemen

Like Magic

oh i like that one! thanks!

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	May 2007 \| vlooi

Like Magic

Great this, but it only worked sometimes for my kids. It just depended on how determined they were to stay awake. It is very relaxing though!

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	5.00 (Excellent) \| May 2007 \| mumof2b

great ideas!

Especially for those little ones that fight to stay awake!

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	5.00 (Excellent) \| May 2007 \| Kristen

Yawning trick

I'll have to try that one. Thanks for sharing.

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