Bedtime February 09 2016
There are children who love bedtime and go willingly. But more children love life, love the daytime and wish it could be longer! Bedtime for these children can often be a harangue that exhausts even the most robust parents!
Parents report over and again that once there is a rhythm that never varies, bedtime more and more takes care of itself. Mindfulness from parents around bedtime helps a lot. This is a sacrifice for parents to give up their own activities to shepherd children attentively at bed time.
Sequencing the same activities each night helps a great deal so that children know exactly what is expected of them and what to expect themselves. This is a relaxing comfort to children.
One sequence might be, for example,
- get pajamas on
- brush teeth
- have a story read aloud or told by Mama or Dad
- into bed
- ask the child to remember a very difficult thing in the day and then to remember a very wonderful thing in the day
- say a prayer or recite a verse or remember all those who love the child(ren)
- sing a song together
-
lights out and sleep!
This entire sequence might take 30 minutes and might just be the best investment in time and attention you can give your child for deep rest and health for life.
