Bedtime should be a calm and pleasant experience for all concerned. Bath, supper, story then sleep. Routines are not always that simple, screaming can almost always feature somewhere in that list! Following this simple list should hopefully ease your sleep problems at night and every member of the household can have a relaxing peaceful nights sleep.
1. A child’s bedtime is at the worst possible time of the day. You are tired from work or looking after the children and the home. If you are tired, you are more likely to become stressed and angry if you child is not wanting to go to sleep easily. Try and stay relaxed and give yourself a time out during the day, hopefully this will give you enough energy to see through bedtime.
2. Try and cooperate with your partner where possible at the children’s bedtimes. This can be fun for all of you and be less stressful if it is difficult.
3. Have a calm bedtime by having a wind down time well before the child actually goes to bed. Try not to over stimulate the child by giving noisy toys or watching too much television.
4. Do not expect your child to just go to bed when you say so. Give your child fair warning of when bedtime will be. Show the child on a clock when bedtime will be, this is will increase the child’s sense of time.
5. Let the child have some control over bedtime. Giving the child a choice of bedtime stories and toy to take to bed with them. Choices will empower the child and could make them calmer and feel more in control.
6. Create a routine and stick to it every night, no exceptions. Let the child release some energy playing in a bath, give the child some supper before bed but not too much liquid as it may disturb the child getting up when needing the toilet. Let the child choose a story to read and then calmly go to sleep.
7. Create a secure atmosphere for your child at bedtime. Talk to your child about what they love and what they dislike. You could include in your routine, getting the child to tell you about what they have done that day and possibly what they would like to do the next day.
8. Try and find out what is stopping your child going to sleep calmly. There is usually an underlying reason. What does your child eat before going to bed. If they are eating lots of additives and sweet things, you will need to cut these out of your child diet. Are they drinking too much and needing to go to the toilet often? Is your child scared of the dark? If so let the child choose a night light and let the child turn it on and off when they want. Is something upsetting your child? Have a chat with your child so they can express their feelings. If you cut out certain things you can usually find out what is stopping your child from going to sleep.
译文:
宝贝乖乖睡
对大人和孩子来说，入睡时间应该是安静而甜美的。洗澡，吃晚饭，听故事，然后睡着…… 慢，没这么容易。孩子的尖叫声可能随时打破计划。接下来的简单法则也许对您面对的孩子入睡问题有所帮助，家中成员也许亦能借此安度整夜。
1. 孩子的入睡时间也许是一天中最糟糕的时刻。上了一整天班，或者带了一整天孩子，你已经精疲力竭。如果这时你的孩子还不肯乖乖入睡，此刻的你就很有可能烦躁得大发脾气。尽量在白天保持放松状态，甚至不妨小歇片刻，这样的话，你就可以打起精神来面对整个入睡过程的挑战。
2. 尽量和你的配偶一起协作面对孩子的入睡问题。你们也许从中能获得乐趣；当这件事有点棘手的时候，你们也不过觉得压力过度。
3. 入睡前就要让孩子平静下来。不要给他玩声音很大的玩具，也不要看太多电视，这样会让孩子过度兴奋。
4. 不要期望你一命令他上床，孩子就能照样执行。可以事先提醒他上床时间快到了，这样对孩子也比较公平。给孩子看钟，告诉他上床的时间几点。这样能增强他们的时间观念。
5. 让孩子在入睡的时候有所选择。比如说，让他们挑睡前故事，或者选个玩具陪他入眠。给他们选择能让孩子自我感觉良好，而且更冷静，感觉自己有自控力。
6. 设立一种上床程序，每晚都严格执行，是的，每晚如此。让孩子在浴缸里玩得尽兴，晚餐吃得愉快。当然，不要进食过多流质，否则孩子就会因为要上厕所而睡不安稳。让孩子选择睡前故事，然后他们就能平静入睡了。
7. 为你的孩子创造有安全感的入睡氛围。和孩子谈谈他们喜欢什么和不喜欢什么。你也可以让孩子总结下今天干了些什么，或者明天想干点什么，把这样的谈话变成入睡程序的一部分挺好。
8. 尽量找到干扰孩子平静入眠的原因。他们睡不好，背后总有某个原因。孩子睡前吃什么呢？如果他们吃太多零食糖果之类的，你得想法让孩子戒掉这个习惯。他们是不是喝太多饮料以至于晚上上好几趟厕所？孩子是不是害怕黑暗？这样的话你得备个夜灯，让孩子自己需要的时候开关。孩子是不是有什么心事？和孩子谈话，他们就能表达自己的感觉。采取了某些行动，你就应该能找出孩子不肯好好入睡的原因了。