Medical Questions » Children Questions » Question No. 203
| Question: | How do you get a three year old to go to bed, and go to sleep? I am at my wits end. |
| Answer: | Newborn babies sleep most of the time, but as they grow, the need for sleep diminishes until a toddler requires about ten or twelve hours of sleep a night, with a nap in the daytime.
Some children start to rebel against going to bed. After all, now that they are growing up, why should they not be able to participate in all the family activities, including those in the evening? Generally a child will be more amenable to an early bedtime if a regular routine is adhered to and there is no question that bedtime has arrived.
A child who persistently appears for a chat alter being put to bed, or constantly asks for a drink of water or to go to the toilet, should have their request met once and then be put to bed firmly with no further excuses for delay allowed. Consistent routine and discipline is essential, the child must learn that there is no reward for not complying wirh the routine that the parents wish to establish.
Some children develop a fear of the dark at this rime, and if this is the reason for a toddlers reluctance to stay in bed, a night light may solve the problem.
Once you have a problem, it is worthwhile indicating to the child that you are now going to use new rules for bedtime by moving the bed to a different position in the room, putting other pictures and furniture in new places, changing the lighting in the room and telling the child that from now on a particular routine will be applied.
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