Dearest Mommies,
It’s not always easy to get little ones to go to sleep. I know first hand how challenging it can be.
However, there is a compelling reason, other than your sanity, to keep youngsters to consistently scheduled beddie-byes.
A consistent bedtime routine helps a child fall asleep faster, wake up fewer times during the night (and for shorter periods), and sleep longer — Kiwi Magazine Online
Bedtime Routine
Establishing a bedtime routine makes the task more manageable for you. At our house, this included one of several different things.
Songs
Either me (or grandma or aunty–every body in our family pitches in to raise the kids) sang to babies and children while putting them down to sleep and you usually woke up singing and giggling the next morning.
Baths
We also gave comforting evening baths where no toys were allowed in the tub; a tub is not to be confused with playtime. In lieu of toys, we offered soothing voice tones and words, and warm splashes of water to promote winding down.
Massage
And sometimes, we also did a little baby massage. A gentle back or tummy rub. Or even a scalp massage.
Once I mixed 2 drops of Lavender oil in some olive oil and rubbed it into your then 2-year old cousin’s scalp–she was a problematic napper. In less than a minute or two she slumped sideways, let out a little snort, and proceeded to snore gently for the next several hours. From that point onward, all we had to do we give her a scalp massage (without the oil) to put her to sleep.
I am grateful that my mother taught me how to have a bedtime routine for baby.
¸.♥´Mom