2646: [Part 2] How to Create a Bedtime Routine For Your Kids and Get Them to Sleep by Cara Harvey on Creating Deep Family Bonds

[00:00:00] Hey, it's Justin from Optimal Living Daily. Before we start, I want to share a super powerful practice I use called NSDR or Non-Sleep Deep Rest. In just about 10 minutes or so, this yoga nidra practice leaves you feeling as refreshed as after a nap without actually sleeping. Experience it for yourself on our guided podcast. Search NSDR and look for the one from Optimal Living Daily.

[00:00:24] This is Optimal Relationships Daily. How to Create a Bedtime Routine For Your Kids and Get Them to Sleep. Part 2. By Cara Harvey of APurposeDrivenMom.com Teamwork

[00:00:39] When it comes to getting our kids off to showers and beds, it's a partnership between my husband and I. This is a big deal. Now, don't get me wrong. If you're a single mother or have a husband who travels for work, works at night or overseas, etc.,

[00:00:54] This can still work. When dad is around, he can join in without a hitch. My husband travels 25% of the time, so I sometimes am alone with the kids for days at a time. My husband happens to be a father who likes and enjoys the process of all things with the kids. He loves to be a part of everything. For us, this is huge. Since my husband does travel for work sometimes, I do have to get the kids down alone.

[00:01:19] FaceTime works wonders in being able to see daddy before bed if he can. Kids get to see that even if mommy is the primary caregiver, daddy is mom's teammate and they work together. My kids are always happier when we are both around for whatever activity it is. Life lessons in a bedtime routine

[00:01:38] Now that you can see how to create and establish a bedtime routine, you will watch how your children will flourish from it. But it starts from the beginning. There are life lessons that your child is developing and learning with your bedtime routine. It's creating a foundation for them that will help them later on in life. They will carry with them some of these values as an adult or maybe even into their life as a parent. Relationship building

[00:02:04] During the day when everyone is awake and life is full of hustle and bustle, undivided attention is not common as you are trying to survive the day. But during each child's bedtime, you can reinforce your bond with your child, sharing moments in time with each one alone as you go through their bedtime routine. Teaching your child

[00:02:24] We enjoy reading stories to our kids and sometimes the Bible is mixed in too, and you can choose stories that teach values. This allows you to create not only an enjoyable, calm reading time, but a learning experience through the books you read. The bonus is that reading aloud to your child helps them develop their reading and language skills. We're part of a program called 1000 Books Before Kindergarten, and we read on average two books a night. You can learn more about this on my blog.

[00:02:53] Reinforcing their faith through songs After we have read books, we will say our prayers with each child, and we sing two songs. The songs we chose are nursery, hymns, and Bible songs. Independence in your child Each night you go through your routine with your child is another night of teaching them how to take care of themselves. As you watch the months and years go by, you will start to see them being able to develop healthy habits.

[00:03:18] Brushing their teeth will be second nature to them, and they will have better sleep habits. They begin to wash and dress themselves. It all works hand in hand. Time Management for Kids Kids who have a healthy sleep routine will correlate that nighttime is for sleeping, and will independently recognize that this is the time of day for sleep, and help create the skill of time management. My four-year-old will say, We better get to bed, the sun is gone, and the moon is here.

[00:03:47] He recognizes that time has come and transitions himself. Final Benefits of a Sleep Routine for Parents Never having bedtime battles is awesome, but what's even better is the peace and time you get out of it as a parent. One of the reasons my husband and I are very regimented about sleep time is because of the time we get alone. At the end of the day, by 7.45pm, we have time for us.

[00:04:13] This is time to catch up, time without the kids, time to watch a show. We can cuddle and enjoy each other without the kids interrupting us. We can even do something we enjoy separately, like reading. When it comes to date nights, having the bedtime routine makes it super easy for grandma and grandpa to put the kids down. It's a win-win for everyone. We can enjoy our night without worries. As you can see, a bedtime routine is not only to establish great sleep, it provides so much more to your kids.

[00:04:42] Teaching them values, life lessons, self-care, independence, and cultivate stability in a more harmonious, tranquil home. Kids will change as they grow. Kids will need additional things. Some will want a nightlight, special blanket, or teddy bear. They will get crafty when getting out of bed. The most vital thing you can do is stick to your guns. They will get the picture. But also use your gut. If your child is having true problems with sleeping, seek help. The sooner the better.

[00:05:12] Ask questions. Do research. You just listened to part 2 of the post titled How to Create a Bedtime Routine for Your Kids and Get Them to Sleep By Cara Harvey of A Purpose Driven Mom dot com Hey Spotify, it's Dampson Idris here to celebrate Tommy Hilfiger's Apex GP Collection. Angetrieben vom Nervenkitzel der Geschwindigkeit und der Kraft des außergewöhnlichen Styles vereint die Capture Collection von Tommy Hilfiger

[00:05:41] performance-orientiertes Design mit grenzenlosem Selbstbewusstsein. Das ist mehr als nur ein Look. Es ist die Uniform für alle, die ihre Träume verwirklichen wollen. Discover Tommy Hilfiger's limited edition Apex GP Collection. Inspired by F1 The Movie. Only in cinemas June 25th. And thanks so much to Cara for both what we heard today and for part 1 of the post which we heard yesterday. This routine sounds like a well-oiled machine and it is no surprise that it works so well for her

[00:06:10] and her husband and of course for her kids. I also really like how she mentioned the fact that she has an opportunity to bond with each child individually at night when putting them to bed. So this is such a great thing to add to this article. And I think it could be supplemented by even asking children how they feel about the bedtime routine itself and if they would make any additions or subtractions. We've talked about this kind of compromise with kids a lot lately and here's another opportunity for it.

[00:06:39] Especially if they're already happy and pleased with the bedtime routine you have them in, a sense of reward could be given to them by asking if they'd like to alter their own routine a little bit in a way that's good for them. Now, you as the parent could then decide if their request is an acceptable one and if not, you can negotiate bringing a sense of partnership to the relationship and making it so you're working together to get everyone's needs met. Now, one could argue that dangling this sense of possibility

[00:07:08] then not coming to a compromise could rock the boat and maybe be unnecessary, but barring that, it is an opportunity to reward your child, bond with them further, and help them learn about being rewarded for good behavior and being taken more seriously with good behavior. Just a thought. I'm out of thoughts though, everyone, so it's time to wrap this episode up. As always, I appreciate you joining me and I hope you will come back with me tomorrow where I will have another post for you. That's where your optimal life awaits.