THE ESSENTIAL
- Bedtime rituals and sleeping conditions are particularly important for your child to fall asleep at night, but so are daytime behaviors.
- Activities, need for affection, routines… Several elements must be considered to prepare your child for a good night’s sleep.
If of course the bedtime ritual and sleeping conditions are particularly important for your child to fall asleep at night, certain behaviors during the day can also influence it.
Young children: having bearings during the day
Children, and especially the little ones, have more difficulty understanding the notion of passing time or what time it is. Having benchmarks in his daily life allows him to secure himself by better understanding how the day unfolds.
While of course it is not necessary to be rigid about a specific time, it is more the sequence and the order of the activities that count. Do not hesitate to talk to him about the different activities he will have and at the end of the day organize a sequence which consists for example of having dinner, then having some free play time, taking the bath and having the sleep routine. that you repeat every night.
Satisfy your child’s emotional need
A child who postpones bedtime may lack attention during the day and have difficulty falling asleep. Make a habit of playing with him, talking to him, and spending time together so he can feel emotionally safe enough.
Get moving every day with outdoor games
A child needs daily physical activity to feel tired and sleep better at night. To do this, favor outdoor games, to expose yourself to daylight as much as possible and of course limit the time spent on screens.
Find out more: “The Cabinet of Emotions: Help your child sleep well: Exercises and tools to overcome sleep disorders” by Stéphanie Couturier.