Why A Bedtime Routine Is Important For Your Kids
The kids are finally in bed! You get to relax and have time for yourself. You sit down with your favorite snack to watch your current binge show.
The fireplace crackles at your side. Bedtime is creeping up on you as your heart rate goes down.
It’s time to get up and get dressed for bed. You go to the bathroom and brush your teeth. Maybe you read a book… Or you might start to doom scroll under the covers like most of us.
Whether it’s intentional or not, we all create bedtime routines for ourselves.
When you’re driving, you don’t get as close as you can to the car in front of you before slamming on the brakes. It’s progressive and controlled.
Your kids deserve the same. Make them a bedtime routine to wind down and get ready for bed.
Bedtime Routines Help Kids Sleep and More
Studies show that Bedtime routines help your kids fall asleep faster and sleep longer.
But WAIT! There’s more…
If bedtime routines get your kids to sleep more, there are obviously benefits to more sleep. Your kids need to sleep for physical and emotional development.
- Speech
- Stress Reduced
- Learning
- Behavior
- Memory
That study mentions that these benefits also include higher “marital satisfaction.”
My wife and I have had our fair share of issues when the kids haven’t slept.
A Bedtime Routine Needs To Be a Habit
Like I mentioned, even adults create routines for themselves. The more you stick to a bedtime routine, the more your body recognizes that it’s time for a snooze.
In my experience, my kids will run circles around me from SUNUP to SUNDOWN!
If we try to put them in bed without any wind-down, the running doesn’t stop. it just takes them longer to fall asleep.
Children Thrive on Consistency
Children are creatures of habit. They get super used to a schedule if you give them one. You probably have your babies on a schedule.
- Wake up
- Breakfast
- Playtime
- 2nd Breakfast
- Go to a park
- Pre-lunch snack
And so on… You get the idea.
I’m willing to bet you’ve got a scheduled bedtime as well, which is awesome!
We already know that kids thrive on consistency and schedules, so adding a routine and sticking to it will help their internal clocks know it’s time to sleep.
Bedtime Routines Teach Your Kids How to Form Habits
They don’t know that they love schedules and habits. When you were a kid, you thought schedules were the bane of your existence.
“I can’t wait until I grow up and can do whatever I want!” – Everyone at some point
We all said it. But you can sell your kids on the benefits of schedules at bedtime.
Get them involved. Let them pick the book. Ask them what they want to do after you’ve been doing it for a while.
Your Lifestyle and Your Bedtime Routine Opportunities
Now’s your chance! This is a perfect time to help your kids develop lifestyle habits that you want to leave them with.
Are you into yoga? Have your kids do yoga every night with you before bed.
Want your kids to be readers? Don’t let them go to sleep without storytime.
Reducing Screen Time at Bedtime
Most of us probably stare at our phones too much and know it. Bedtime routines are a time to spend distraction-free with our kids.
Let’s be honest, we don’t want our kids on screens as much as we are. Teach them that we don’t do screens before bed.
Screen time right before bed causes poor sleep for kids and adults. We can give them an edge over their peers now by keeping screens away from them at night.
While Billy next door is watching Cocomelon before bed because it “calms him down,” your child is learning to wind down by going for a walk, doing yoga, reading, or whatever you want.
Be The Example
I feel like adults like to brag about how little sleep they get. A competition of “who’s life sucks more.”
Don’t be that Mom or Dad. Get your sleep! I know how tempting it is to stay up late once the kids are in bed.
You finally have time to yourself! Next thing you know, it’s 1:00 in the morning. You’ve deprived yourself of all the benefits you preach to your kids.
You’re telling your kids to sleep 10-12 hours every night for their own good while you’re dealing with revenge sleep procrastination.
And you only need 7-8 hours!
I know it sucks to lose that time, but I promise you’re days will feel better and less stressful if you give yourself the benefits of better sleep too.
Conclusion
If you want better sleep for your kids, you need to put in the work. Patience is key especially if you are also trying to transition your baby to the crib.
Be consistent and you’ll see the benefits. Your child will fall asleep faster, and you won’t be woken up as much at night.
No one is grumpier than I am when sleep-deprived. Don’t be like me. Get yourself some sleep. It makes the rest of your day so much easier too.
