How to help your kids sleep: A lack of sleep can be the reason for all sorts of problems for kids, yet getting your children to sleep in the first place can be harder than solving the Brexit backstop.
Here, the sleep experts at Chireal Shallow and Bloom & Blossom offer 10 tips to help your small ones catch more ZZZ’s.
Leave pieces of you in your child’s bedroom. This can be sounds, smells or sights and can be the most comforting thing a child can have. Leave a surprise everyday; this way your child will look forward to seeing it at bedtime.
Familiar scents are a great way for children to feel calm and safe at bedtime. For example, try Bloom and Blossom’s Dream Catcher’s Pillow Spray every night at only £9.99. It comes with personalisable stickers, so that your child can make each bottle their own and spray it every night to fight off monsters and spray ‘happy dreams’ around their bedroom before bed.
Getting a feel for what a child experiences in their room, can be vital to understanding their experiences. Ask yourself if it feels like a calm space, or if there are any objects which may look different at night. For example, your child may have a backpack hung up, which may look scary in the dark – invest in a personalised one, which they can take pride in and allows them to feel unafraid.
Together with your child, create a storybook of their daily routine. This can be everything from pictures of them brushing their teeth to the clothes they are wearing. Ultimately, this then becomes their bedtime book, and is a storyboard of their daytime routine, where they can reflect on musings from the day.
It’s an age-old tradition and one which works. This is a special bonding time and will help your child to feel relaxed and at ease. A great book to try if your child is new to school is Starting School by Janet and Allan Ahlberg, which offers tips and advice in a fun way. Or snuggle down with your favourite Roald Dahl classic and get lost in the world of the BFG or Matilda.
Put inside the things that children need to feel safe and help them sleep at night. For example, books, favourite toys and pictures of family.
Ask how they’re feeling, and if they feel safe and comfortable when they climb in bed. Check on the surroundings, such as the amount of light in the room, and increase/decrease accordingly.
Place family photos around your child’s bedroom, so if they wake during the night, they’re immediately comforted.
Use a fan in hot rooms, as the noise and effect really help to enhance sleep.
Ensuring your child is supported in a physical manner helps to aid their mental and emotional wellbeing too. The Silentnight Imagine Traditional Sprung Mattress is reasonably priced and available online.
To view the full selection of Bloom and Blossom products visit bloomandblossom.com
For more advice from the experts, click here.
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