With Kelley Osman, Child Mental Health Specialist and Sleep Expert

Most parents have experienced issues at bedtime with their kids at some point. Kids’ bedtime routines can be challenging if your kids are having sleep problems, and those issues can cause stress in the family. The good news is that there are techniques you can use to help your child’s routine at bedtime, and help your child get a restful night’s sleep. Kids’ bedtime should be a lovely, cosy part of your day, and an opportunity to wind down with your child and relax. 

We spoke to sleep expert Kelley Osman to learn how to build healthy sleep habits and fix sleep problems in kids. Kelley shared solutions to three common bedtime routine issues in kids, which we hope will help your kids to snooze peacefully from now on. 

1. What to do if your child has trouble falling asleep at bedtime

Problems at bedtime can stem from kids not being able to fall asleep easily, which can put pressure on both the child themselves and the adult. So, what can you do if your child has trouble falling asleep at bedtime?

• Make sure the sleep environment encourages sleep 

• Make sure kids get enough exercise and daylight during the day 

• Have a good sleep and bedtime routine in place 

If all three of these things are done and your child still has trouble falling asleep, try talking to them to see if there are underlying issues that might impact sleep in your child. Your child may be experiencing anxiety due to worries or issues you may not know about, so make sure to check in and be open to hearing what might be happening, so you can work to fix sleep problems in your child. GOSH and The Children’s Sleep Charity have great tips to help with bedtime routine issues and improving sleep in kids. This is a good place to start so you can combat sleep problems and build healthy sleep habits with your kids. 

2. What to do if your child won’t stay in bed

It’s very common for parents to hear their kids ask for just “one more” story, or “one more” glass of water, just as you’re tucking them in. Kids’ bedtime can be peppered with these last-minute requests, which can wreak havoc on healthy sleep habits and make the bedtime routine less than calm. To fix sleep problems, here’s what you can do if your child won’t stay in bed:

• Use assertive but calm instruction, and don’t engage in debates

• Try not to start bad habits, like getting into bed with your child if they have previously been able to settle themselves. 

• Set up a reward chart to encourage desired behaviour 

• Talk about the challenges with your child and make a plan together 

It’s helpful for your child to understand the benefits of sleep and all the brilliant things sleep does for us, so your child is more inclined to work with you to fix problems at bedtime. Your child will be more interested in developing healthy sleep habits if they feel included. 

3. What to do if your child’s not getting enough sleep and is acting out

Bedtime routine issues can cause sleep problems that can lead to misbehaviour in kids. If kids are overtired, they can act out and cause even more issues at bedtime. Ironically, kids that may seem overly energetic and active, may actually be overtired and not getting enough sleep, which can cause problems at bedtime. Developing healthy sleep habits will help your child get enough sleep. Here’s what you can do: 

• Involve your child in understanding why sleep is important 

• Support your child by rewarding positive behaviours 

• Check their sleep patterns – are they napping in the daytime? 

It’s important to encourage your child to work together with you to find solutions to sleep problems and create lasting healthy sleep habits. Make sure you talk things through with your child to help address any issues. 

We all know that when we experience sleep problems, our mood and emotional wellbeing are compromised. Good sleep leads to a healthy mind and healthy body. Healthy sleep habits can have a wonderful influence on how your child functions throughout the day, and can help your child feel happier, more focused and calm. The main thing to remember is that a few simple changes can make a huge difference to improving bedtime routine issues, and things will get better. We hope these tips will help you and your kids to fix sleep problems and feel rested and ready to take on the day! 

Kelley Osman is an experienced mental health specialist and registered mental health nurse. Kelley trained at St Bartholomew’s Hospital, London, and qualified in 1995 in Mental Health Nursing. Kelley has worked within a variety of mental health settings including acute psychiatry and community care for Hackney NHS Trust, before moving to Suffolk to work within Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS). Kelley has accrued over 22 years’ experience of mental health nursing. Kelley has specialist knowledge and experience in the treatment and assessment of ADHD and associated difficulties such as anxiety, attachment difficulties, ASD and sleep problems. Her level of knowledge and expertise means her understanding and appreciation of the difficulties children and their families can face is significant and genuine. 

For more information, please visit: http://koconsultancy.org.uk/index.html