The best part of the day for a parent is when the house is quiet and that means the kids are asleep. This is the time we get to ourselves to binge watch tv and just relax. Getting one child to head to bed can be a struggle but when you have multiple kids it can be very tough to get them to go to sleep. Try these tips to help simplify the bedtime routine.
Start by consolidating. If you give your kids a bath before bed have a couple kids get clean in the tub together. You can save time by bundling their tasks, like brushing their teeth. Do you read stories at bedtime? Get all your kids together for story time. You can even let your older kids read to the younger ones. This will help the older ones practice their reading skills and the little ones will be inspired to read as well.
Teamwork and independence are two characteristics that are great for your children to learn. When they are school-age you can have them start doing some bedtime responsibilities on their own or together. The older siblings should be able to brush their teeth and get their pajamas on, on their own, and be ready for you to tuck them into bed.
Doing everything as a group might not work for your family. Depending on your kids ages you might want to stagger their bedtimes. This way you are only putting one child to bed at a time. You can start with the youngest child first and when they are snuggled up in bed you can move onto the older kids rooms.
No matter what works for your family, consistency is key. Keeping that routine in place every night will help your kids bodies adjust to doing the same thing night after night. It will be easier for their brains to signal that it is time for bed. The sooner you can get the kids in the bed the sooner you can relax too!
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