Welcome to our parents page!

Sweet dreams!

 This months theme is sleep time. Creating a good bedtime routine can be tricky, but late nights and crying are stressful for both parents and child. We have collected some information and top tips from our parents and professionals to help you with that troublesome problem!

 Sometimes it feels no matter what you do, your child just won’t go to sleep or go to bed. If you know they are dry, not ill, the right temperature etc it could be down to sleep associations. 

s Routines work!

Developing a bedtime routine, and sticking to it, is the first step
towards teaching your child the difference between day and night.
Also children need to learn how to get themselves to sleep on their
own as when they wake during the night, they will then be able to
get back to sleep without your help. New parents? - start a routine
from day one and avoid battles later!

Steps to sleep

*   Set a bedtime and stick to it.

*  Make after dinner play relaxing - keep energetic play for earlier.

*   Choose a bedtime routine - perhaps a relaxing bath, story time,
drink and a cuddle to get your child ready for sleep, stick to your
routine every night.

*   Put your child down to sleep in the same place every night. Don’t
let them fall asleep on the settee - it will cause you endless going to
bed problems. Put them to bed awake so they learn how to fall
asleep themselves.

*   If your child wakes in the night, sooth them back to sleep in their
own cot or bed. Try not to take them downstairs as this will wake
your child up even more and they will soon learn that crying means
they get to join you downstairs

Fed up with sleep problems? - come and talk to us
about it at Sure Start, we can give lots more help and advice -
01922 637794

This leaflet was written by Sure Start staff - Sarah Freeth, Lana Tolley
and Jessica Molland and by Sure Start parents Vicky Price, Belinda Smith,
Devony Sutton and Andrea Campbell in the Surviving Parenting
workshops.