Having children is a blessing because they ensure the continuity of the human race. Children are also a source of happiness that will keep your house warm with laughter and even cries. You'll cherish having a toddler at daytime, but almost curse having one when the night is approaching. When your child refuses to sleep, it means that you too won't sleep so it's paramount to exploit working ways that will ensure your child sleep for long and with ease.
I can almost compare a toddler who doesn't sleep with an aching tooth because they both deprive the precious sleep, but you may be the cause of poor sleep that you witness from your child.
Here are some ways to make the rough times that you've had at night become smooth;
Make an ideal environment for sleeping
You won't expect your child to sleep comfortably when the conditions around him/her remain harsh. Just like you, children find it hard to sleep in a congested and heated environment because such environments make them sweat a lot. It's therefore important to keep the bedding of your child clean all the times to avoid heat that can irritate your kid throughout the night.
In case your toddler is showing signs of allergies, then you need to put him to sleep in a breathable bed that allows proper air circulation. There's also the need to ensure that your lovely child sleeps on a low-allergen cotton sheet.
The pajamas that your child wears to sleep should be equally of low-allergen cotton.
Avail sleeping meals when nearing bedtime
Maybe you didn't know that there are meals that potentiate sleep, but I will let you know that meals play a big role towards the sleep of your young one. Try to give your child meals rich in carbs and proteins a few hours before bedtime because such meals are rich in amino acids.
Meals with amino acids act as tryptophan, which is a chemical that makes one feel sleepy. I, therefore, recommend that you incorporate the following meals in the diet of your child late in the day: poultry, tuna, cheese, yogurt, pasture-raised eggs, milk and bananas.
Switch off the lights
I don't know much about you but I am the kind of person who goes to the toilet with eyes closed when I wake up in the middle of the night just because I don't want to see the lights.
A study shows that presence of light pollution can disrupt the hormone that regulates sleep. In fact, too bright of a light can equally imbalance in your child's immunity due to disruption of the same hormone.
Switch off the lights when you child gets to bed but if he/she fears the darkness, then you can do it soon after the child falls asleep. It's also a good idea when you try out blackout curtains or sleeping mask on your toddler to prevent the light from constantly hitting the sight of your child when asleep.
Minimize games and video session
It won't be easy to get your toddler off the screens and away from the Video Games, but I'm sure that you can do it the same way you force your child to eat.
Multiple studies indicate that playing video games and watching TV can dispel sleep from the child.
To prevent the sleep from evading your bundle of joy, you need to ensure that he/she play the video games several hours before going to sleep. Besides, you need to minimize the number of hours your kid spends playing video games.
Give your child a real treat while in bed
It's important to spend some time with your young one considering that you spend the whole day at work and away from his/her sight. Cuddle your child and pour love upon him/her while in bed. Sing lullabies and tell bedtime stories that can make a child fantasize and send them to a dreamland.
