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One of the funniest comedy bits I have heard is Jim Gaffigan on bedtime. As a father of 5, he says,
“Bedtime is a crisis. It’s like a hostage negotiation… but in reverse. I will meet your demands… just stay in there!”
Like most parents, we are tired by 8:00 pm and we want the children to go. to. sleep. But most of the time my children, like Jim’s, act as if sleep is a surprise every single evening. They are wound up and ready with all of the needs. So whatever tricks I can find to help my kids settle – I am here for it.
My oldest son, Noah, is especially sensitive to his environment. He has a lot of sensory processing issues, so if the environment is not in the right condition (temperature, covers, noises, the feel of his pajamas, if he eats ice cream or chocolate, etc.), then he will be up for hours.
All that to say, we have had to get creative when it comes to bedtime so that Ryan and I can have some wind down time ourselves and I can eat all the chocolate I didn’t let Noah have! 😉 Today I am sharing with you 5 simple ways we have found to be successful in helping our kids get calm and ready for bed.
Get Outside
The first important way to help kids settle for bed is to make sure they are getting plenty of outdoor time BEFORE the bedtime routine begins. After a long day of sitting at school and in the car, I feel it is my job to protect our kids’ need for physical exercise so that they are TIRED at bedtime. We will often make it mandatory that our boys run around in the backyard as soon as we get home because heavy work associated with outdoor play is so critical to healthy sleep habits. In addition, research shows that melatonin levels naturally rise in the evenings for people who have spent time outside during the day.
*NOTE* – Research has also shown that the light from screens can interfere with the body’s production of melatonin, so we do not allow screen time during the school week or during the hours leading up to bed.
White Noise
We like to joke that Noah has a super power and that super power is extreme hearing. Ryan and I will be whispering to one another in the kitchen and he will hear every word from his bedroom on the other side of the house. This extreme hearing gets Noah into trouble at bedtime because his brain just cannot shut down. After doing some research before Zion was born, I decided to sleep train him with a white noise machine. We ended up buying two machines, one for the nursery and one for Noah and Jet’s room since Noah had started to have problems sleeping in a room with a bunkmate who sometimes snores. We also got an oscillating fan
Click HERE for our favorite sound machine.
Calming Touch
We like to give our boys “Sandwiches” – where we lay the top half of our bodies over theirs and put our weight on them. This deep pressure provides healthy sensory input and the release of the hormone oxytocin that has a calming effect on the body. Also, both of our boys love a good snuggle or back tickle before bed. I will often sit beside them and lightly run my fingernails up and down their bare backs. Sometimes we will play spelling games where I spell letters one at a time and they have to guess what I wrote. Finally, one of the best items I put in Jethro’s Christmas stocking last year was a scalp massager. He begs me to use it on him every night to help him get ready to sleep.
Purchase this magical tool HERE.
Meaningful Routines
Routines are one of the most effective ways to prepare the brain for sleep. Since our boys were babies, we have tried to follow the routine of bath (warm water is a proven muscle relaxer), books (see below for some great suggestions), and then bed. We also share a Bible story, Jesus Kisses, prayers and blessings, and a special lullaby that my mom sang to me when I was little. Sometimes I am so tired that I try to escape before singing or giving a Jesus Kiss, but the boys never forget and they refuse to sleep until the entire routine is completed. And, to be honest, the nights I have stayed to speak extra prayers and Bible verses over my children are the nights they have the most peace for sleep!
Bedtime Books
I absolutely LOVE reading funny, interactive books like The Book with No Pictures
Our family has always been a fan of the Little Blue Truck
This sweet book not only addresses going to sleep, but it touches on themes like what to do when you are afraid, the kindness of others, and how it’s easier to be brave when everyone is together. I know your family will love it!
^^Do they look calm to you?🤔^^
GUESS WHAT?!
Today I am giving away a copy of GOOD NIGHT LITTLE BLUE TRUCK and a Little Tikes racing tire toy chest to one lucky reader
Simply leave a comment below telling me your child’s favorite thing to do at bedtime.
Giveaway open to US addresses only. Prizing and samples provided by HMH Books for Young Readers. Giveaway will close at 11:59 pm on friday, november 15, 2019. winner will be notified by email.
I can’t wait to hear your thoughts!
Sweet Dreams,
Julie 🙂
Our kiddos all have small flashlights and a stack of books for bedtime. Reading (or really just looking at pictures) helps keep them in bed and provide some extra wind down time.
I have three boys and they all love for me to read to them before bed.
Snuggles 🥰
Reading before bed is our favorite!
My 6 year old loves to read and I have to sing Twinkle Twinkle Little Star. Baby girl is 7 weeks old so she just likes to nurse…
My one year old granddaughter loves to hug and caress her baby doll, and her two favorite stuffed animals. She one of of her favorite books all in the crib. We say our prayers and she kisses them. Within 10-15 minutes she lies down and I sing Somewhere Over the Rainbow. By the time I finish the last verse she is asleep and her favorites are removed to their resting spots waiting to be taken care of the following evening.
prayers, Bible time and cuddles.
We love to read a book, say a prayer together and take about our “lows and “highs” for the day.
When my kids were little we ALWAYS read books to them after their baths. Sometimes, because we were so tired, we’d even TRY to skip a page or some words to no avail. We always got caught! Now that my kids are teenagers, I always tell them good night, I love them, and don’t stay up too late.
Bedtime has become one of our favorite times because of the intentional time it gives each member of the family. We share our highs, lows, & whoas! from the day in addition to the reading, cuddling, & prayers. Our youngest gets a little baby massage with essential oils and he loves it/expects it, & it helps him calm down quickly. Bedtime is both bonding & relaxing for all of us!
We enjoy reading and discussing a Bible story using “The Gospel Bible Storybook” for my twin almost 6 year-old (tomorrow! 🥳) boys.
My husband & I each read a book (or a chapter of a larger book) then we sing “Twinkle, twinkle”, “Jesus loves me”, & “Jesus loves the little children” together. Then our daughter gets to pick which of us sings our “special song”, which is her favorite part of bedtime. She has recently started getting silly with it by doing “Eenie, meenie, miney-mo” to decide. Then we pray, either our usual “Now I lay me down to sleep” prayer or we roll the prayer dice & see what we get.
I don’t have children but I do have a great niece and my niece loves to read to her at bedtime so I’m always looking for good books as gifts.
My boys’ favorite part of their bedtime routine is prayers followed by me singing my own rendition of “You Are My Sunshine”. <3
I just wanted to share that I LOVE that sweet picture of your boys reading together! Truly heartwarming!!! ❤️
“Hug, kiss, and pray” is what we hear every night from all the younger children!
After books, singing and prayer, our boys get one more verbal story and blessing from Daddy.
My boys love for me to sing “Jesus loves me” to them every night before they go to sleep.
My son (also sensory-seeking) loves to be rolled up “like a Dorito”. We roll him in a blanket, and put on toppings (cheese, tomatoes, lettuce, and silly things that he comes up with) with light and deep pressure on his back and legs.
My kids love singing songs they learned from Sunday school. Each child gets to pick 1 song.
My son loves bedtime stories and lullaby time
My daughter brushes her teeth, and loves to have us read to her.
We definitely had the bedtime routine of reading stories.
Bed time means snuggles and a good book!
Every night we put all the toys to bed in their boxes and dolls in their beds. The girls brush their teeth and get dressed in pj’s and choose a couple books to read with their flashlights in their beds for a while. Each one then gets a snuggle, prayer and song!
Tickle Fights!
Our kiddos love for us to tuck them in and say prayers and then as we are about to shut the door we say, “nigh night, love you, see you in the morning!” and they repeat it back. Thanks for the tips and the giveaway!
~i am a therapist and educator, now starting a nonprofit for sick children and their families in the hospital. (Child-Friendly Hospital Foundation). Many of these kiddos love the Blue Truck book and whatever else we can offer that reminds them of home as coping tools to help them sleep. ~thanks for all you do!
Brenda! You are the winner! Please email me your mailing address for the prizes! God bless you!
~WOW! What an OUTSTANDING blessing!
My heart prayed this morning to the Good Lord asking Him to send a wink to assure me that Child-Friendly Hospital Foundation was on the right track!
YOU ARE MY ANGEL WINK!
From the bottom of my heart, thank you! This gift will comfort sick children and their families and help change how they feel about a hard hospital stay!
~GOD BLESS YOU!
She likes to put off bedtime as long as possible, but enjoys snuggling.
Three precious readers!❤️
Reading and as our youngest has gotten older…. the reading turned into “chats” and those chats have turned into him coming downstairs instead of us going up and chatting down here. The routine has changed yet…. it’s still about time together before ending the day. 💙
Totally have a similar routine. Baths or showers, brush teeth, then reading, rubs and lights off! No TV or iPad or computer after homework is done which helps TREMENDOUSLY!! Two boys – 6 and 3 years old!
My boys love to wrestle with dad (drives me crazy because I think it winds them up but….they are boys and they love it and my hubby loves it), read, and snuggle. 🙂
Love these ideas!!! We have a bedtime routine!! Bible story and snuggles… we also do a fun counting thing when I leave their rooms to see who says “I love you” fastest after counting to 3… they say “mommy love you” and I say their name and love you… each child is a bit different but they definitely love routine!!
My son is only 9 months, so his favorite thing to do at bedtime is probably nurse 😂. But he also likes playing around with us on the bed being silly and getting tickled.
Snuggles while listening to music!
My son Lucas is still pretty young, but we always read books with him. He loves sound effects and pointing and identifying things. He gets his bunny stuffie and we sing him his song we made up just for him. When he gets older I look forward to intentional prayer & thankful time as well as some giggles and whispers about his day. It’s so lovely to be raising a reader! And to see our child’s growth and personality develop. (I am and always will be a huge reader, so I am trying to instill that a bit on him 😉
Dad reads a book then I do. We sing a song, usually Holy,Holy, and snuggle a bit before bed. My Daughter always likes to listen to a Chris Rice Hymns CD. 🙂
Your bedtime routine consists of 3 books.. night night farm.. night night zoo and night night safari . Cuddles and the sing.. wheels on the bus.. twinkle twinkle and jesus loves me . A perfected routine that works for me but not my husband!
We say prayers thanking God for His protection that day and for all those that do not know Him to see Him through us. Kiss them, hug and tuck them in.
My kids love having me sit in the room with them while we all listen to Lauren Daigle on repeat.
Our routine is teeth, hair, books, PJs, potty and snuggles. We’ve really been struggling with calm-down time and oftentimes Savannah stays up in bed for an hour because she’s so wired. I’ve been looking into occupational therapy for sensory-calming exercises. Would love a future post on specific exercises you do (if you do them and if they’ve helped 🙂
My oldest son is dyslexic and getting him to read is a challenge. He loves the Little Blue Truck series. I try to take turns reading a few pages to him and then he reads to me. His younger sister and brother pick a book to read also. I recently found audio books at the library to try out.
We love to read books and snuggle at bedtime.
My kids love the Jesus kisses. I read about them on your blog years ago, and it’s such a great part of our bedtime routine.
When we have time for a book, the kids all pick out a picture book for Mom to read. All 4 have their favorites. We like to say our prayers and give hugs and kisses before going their beds. As our older kiddos have gotten older(11 &13), they have continued to cherish their hugs, as do we as their parents.
My kids love having stories read to them at bedtime, and they always want us to pray with them. Oh, and drinks! They always want “one more drink!” 😆
We (my grandkids and I) read a book, read our devotions, say prayers and off to bed.
My (almost) 2 year old little boy loves bath time. After his bath, we read stories, brush teeth, read bible, and pray. If he is too wound up, we will give tight hugs or give deep pressure/squeezes when we put on lotion. I am an OT, and my little guy definitely benefits from heavy work throughout the day. Love that you have your boys run around outside. If it is too cold or raining, we will even run laps in the house.
My 2 month old little girl likes story time, but her favorite part of her bedtime routine is to nurse and snuggle.
We stick to a routine, too! Our boys love bath, brush teeth, stories, songs, and prayers. And lots of hugs and kisses. We try to keep books before nap wide open, but books before bedtime we try to keep all about Jesus so that we can focus and meditate on him as we try to ready our minds for bed.
Lullabyes & “You are my Sunshine” song always calms our 1 year old grandson to sleep. We would love a copy of The Blue truck!!
We read some books, each share one thing from our day we are thankful for to write in a journal, say prayers, and read a Bible story.