Day and Night Sleep
The concept of time can be very confusing for young children. The Children's Sleep Charity advices these tips to help:-
- Put them to bed at the same time each day.
- Get them up at the same time each morning.
- Tell them, "it is night time, go to sleep" or "it is morning, time to wake up".
- Change their clothes at night and make sure that you change them into day clothes in the morning, even if you have nothing planned and a pyjama day would be easier.
- Use music to indicate the time of day, soothing music should be played at night, classical music is ideal. A lively piece can be chosen for the morning time. Use the same piece of music each day so that they learn to associate it with the time of day.
- Make the room dark at night and in the morning open the curtains so that it looks different.
- Use aromatherapy oils, there are special ones made for children. Use a relaxing oil such as lavender at night and a contrasting oil to represent the morning such a grapefruit. Only use aromatherapy oils after seeking advice from a professional and never apply them directly to your child's skin!
- Specialist alarm clocks can be bough to show children what time it is through the use of pictures or visual clues e.g. gro clocks.
