Many parents face the problem of putting a baby to bed till late night. All parents know for sure that the problem of putting a baby to bed is as difficult, as awakening a baby early in the morning.

According to researches, 69% of parents informed that their children (in the age under 10 years) have sleep problems at least 2-3 times a week. Putting a kid to bed and coping with his awakening in the night are general problems.

Sleep has a significant impact on:

A kid’s mood (a sleepy kid becomes very irritable and whining);

Perception (a kid remembers information badly, his attention will be absent-minded, it will be difficult for him to solve a problem);

Behavior (hyperactivity);

Relationship in a family (a kid’s sleep problems affect all family members).

How much a baby should sleep?

Children from 3 to 5 years should sleep 11-13 hours per day, children from 6 to 10 years sleep only 10-11 hours.

How to prepare children to sleep

Establish a strict schedule of sleep and vigil and watch a kid follows it. Remember that kids get out from a schedule easily, 3 days will be quite enough for them. The only thing you can allow your children is going to bed and awakening 0,5-1 hour later than usual on the weekend.

Following factors improve falling asleep:

Ventilated room;

Darkness (thick curtains);

Calmness, silence;

Comfortable bed.

It is recommended to start preparation for sleep 30-45 minutes before going to bed. A warm bath, teeth-brushing, communication with home pets, brief discussion of day events, reading fairy-tales and interesting children books are components of good preparation. On no account allow a kid watching TV, playing computer and video games, rushing about apartment and drinking drinks containing caffeine before going to bed.

Pay attention to the moment that the problem of falling asleep in the evening can be connected with the fact that your kid sleeps in the afternoon. If your kid needs an afternoon rest, it should last until 5 pm. 30 minutes of a drowse is quite enough for a kid to feel more cheerful.

Parental tactics of behavior

To put a kid to a bed (until 5-6 years), you can use illustrations from magazines, pictures with fairy-tale heroes, which are preparing to go to bed (for example, on 1 picture a hero puts on a pyjamas, on the other- brush teeth, on third – takes his pillow and goes to bed). Children like viewing pictures and imitating their favorite fairy-tale heroes very much. Children will go to bed willingly looking at their heroes. For older kids you can invent some encouragements for observation of a sleeping schedule, or you can invent some game, acquaint a kid with its rules and give prizes for active participation in it.