Parenting Tips for Your 37-38 Month Old Child
There is a difference between putting a child to bed and getting a child to sleep. The first is the parent’s responsibility, and the second is the child’s responsibility. The bedtime routine can be positive for you and your child. Your child can learn go to bed calmly and safely and fall asleep on her own.
Suggestions on bedtime routines:
- Give your child transition time. Announce, “It’s time to get ready for bed in 10 minutes.” Help your child understand the time by saying, “When the big hand gets to the top of the clock, it’s time to wash your face and brush your teeth.” (You will need an old-fashioned clock, not a digital one for this.) You could also set a timer so she knows when transition time is up.
- Make up a bedtime song. “This is the way we wash our face, wash our face, wash our face, at any time in the evening.” Other verses continue with what to do next, such as brush our teeth, take off our shoes.
- Make up games. Draw a sleeping face on one side of the pillowcase and a face that is awake on the other side. At bedtime, turn up the sleeping face. Give the character on the pillowcase a name like Snoozy. Say, “Night-night, Snoozy,” and tiptoe out of the room.
- Make a picture chart of all the things that your child does before she goes to bed. It helps her learn the routine.
- For a sense of security, tuck a favorite animal in bed beside your child, or leave a light on or a flashlight beside the bed.
- Allow some time to unwind, a pre-sleep time. Read, sing or ask questions about the day. Be specific. “Did you see your friend Toby today?” Prepare for the next day. “The weather is going to be colder. Would you like to wear your red sweater or blue sweater tomorrow?”
- Make some rules about the number of stories or songs before bed so it is not a method for stalling.
- Stop the popping. If your child keeps popping out of bed, say, “Stay in bed. I’ll be back in five minutes to check on you.”
Learn more about Your Child: 37-38 Months from Just In Time Parenting. You can also go to our Resource Links for additional information on child care and development.
