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I have been compensated by AVEENO® Baby for this post; however, I am sharing my own thoughts. All opinions are my own.
Getting two toddlers to want to sleep is a challenge. Unfortunately for me, it took several months of trying different things before I found the perfect soothing bedtime routine for the boys. Now that I have found something that works for my family, I want to share it with you.
1. Make it a routine
You might be wondering why this is listed as the first step in a bedtime routine. It might be a bit redundant but I really want to emphasize the fact that you need to stick with the routine. Children need consistency in their lives. It really helps them feel safe and less anxious. When they know what to expect each night, they will fall asleep more easily and you will avoid unwanted behavior. My oldest no longer begs and pleads to stay up later. Because we made it a routine, he knows he has to go to bed.
2. Wind it down
If you are wrestling with the kids on the floor five minutes before bedtime, chances are high that they will not be ready for bed. You’ll want to incorporate wind-down activities before bedtime. For us, we spend time cuddling on the sofa or putting together a puzzle.
3. Take a bath
My oldest loves bath time so I was nervous that taking a bath before bed would wind him up. I am so glad I switched to a nighttime bath because it has made a ton of difference. For the longest time, we used the AVEENO® Baby Wash & Shampoo. We recently tried the AVEENO® Baby CALMING COMFORT® Bath and it has become a new must-have item. I order all of my AVEENO® products from Walmart online and have it delivered so we always have it on hand. After drying off, we use the AVEENO® Baby CALMING COMFORT® Lotion (this is my favorite part!), and then it is time for pjs.
4. Read together
I am so lucky that both of my boys love reading. Besides being a great way to wind down for bed, it is a great opportunity for some learning. I make sure to have a good number of books that are perfect for bedtime. When looking for books to read, they don’t all have to be about bedtime. Just make sure you don’t pick a book that is going to bring their energy levels back up.
5. Set up a sweet dreams environment
While I prefer no lights and no noise when I sleep, my kids need to have the right ambiance. Instead of a nightlight that lights up one spot very brightly, we have a nightlight that diffuses the light. It creates a soft glowing light that isn’t bright enough to keep them awake but keeps the room from being pitch black. We do have blackout curtains to keep lights from the cars outside from shining inside the room. We also have a sound machine that we have play continuously at night. My boys love the soft rain sound.
With this routine, both boys sleep through the night for about 11 hours. They also both take naps during the day and we do a condensed version of this routine, without the bath. I still use the AVEENO® lotion since my boys both have very dry skin.
If you have any questions about our routine, I would be happy to answer them. I’d also love for you to leave a comment about your kids’ bedtime. Do you do baths at night? If your children are school-aged, what does their bedtime look like?
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