Tips on Dealing with Kids’ Bedtime

Dealing with your toddler's bedtime meltdowns is very stressful, especially for first-time parents. You are exhausted after working the whole day, and at night your baby starts showing bedtime tantrums. What would you do? Instead of getting hyper and spoiling your sleep time, you can help your child with bedtime meltdown.

First, you have to learn what's the main reason behind their tantrums or how to solve these meltdowns.

Continue reading this article till the end for valuable information and get pro tips to deal with their bedtime meltdowns.

What are Bedtime Meltdowns?

Bedtime meltdowns are the sudden outburst of emotions. Meltdowns happen when feelings such as anger, stress, sadness or anxiety overpower a kid’s emotional state, and as a result, the child starts crying and sobbing.

Toddlers by the age of two years start talking correctly, and before that, the only mean of communication for them is expressing their emotions. Also, toddlers have not yet developed self-regulatory skills; they can not control their emotions.

Also Read: 5 Effective Ways to Teach Your Toddler How to Talk?

What Triggers Bedtime Meltdowns Among Kids?

Almost 87% of 18 to 24-month-olds exhibit emotional breakdowns. According to a study, 91% of 30 to 36-month-olds and 59% of 42 to 48-month-old babies experience tamper tantrums. The reason behind babies' tantrums is that in the development phase, they learn new things. As a child grows up, their sleeping patterns, playing behaviour, and likes or dislikes changes.

Most toddlers start crying at night because they feel alone. If your child knows you are awake, they will probably seek your attention.

Here are some things that can trigger bedtime meltdowns;

  • Your child is feeling scared.
  • Separation anxiety while sleeping in an independent room.
  • Something has upset them.
  • They are hungry or thirsty.
  • Maybe your child is tired or sick.
  • Sudden change in sleep schedule.
  • They want to play more.

Also Read: Toddler Developmental Milestones: What to Expect at 1 to 3 Years Age

We know that dealing with bedtime meltdowns can be frustrating, but parents must understand that it is also a hard time for kids.

All you can do as a parent is acknowledge the state and deal with it with proper attention. Here is how.

Tips To Overcome The Bedtime Battle

Dealing with kids' temper tantrums are about patience and tolerance. If your child is cranky during bedtime, you must ensure that if they are hungry or there is a diaper emergency. And if you have fixed everything and there is still no improvement, the following tips will help you.

Always Stay Positive

The mistake parents do while dealing with kid's tantrums is they get angry and frustrated. Children emotionally dependent on their parents. A grumpy response from parents can shatter a kid's emotional state. Instead of nagging, try to stay calm in such a situation and handle their bedtime meltdown positively. Be patient and listen to their needs. A little attention will put your little baby to sleep comfortably.

Stick To Bedtime Routine

Set a bedtime schedule and stick to the routine. Switching off the TV or reducing screen time and binge-watching needs determination. When you set a sleep time, it becomes part of kids' nature. If you are done with dinner at 8 pm, try putting your kids to sleep at 9 pm. A bedtime schedule helps children to sleep faster.

Ask What They Need

The best thing is to let the children pick what they like. It makes them excited for bedtime and helps decrease their meltdowns. You can decorate your child's room with their favourite character theme, stuffed toys, a cosy cot bed, and story books of their liking. Ask your child which pyjamas they like to put on or which story they'd like to listen.

Try Soothing Bath Time

Bathing is the perfect technique to make your child fall asleep in a great mood. If your child is too tired, a warm bath will help you soothe their nerves and put them to sleep more easily.

Also Read: How to Clean Your Baby's Bath Toys? Step-by-Step Guide

Play Light Music

Lullabies help babies sleep. A soothing tune can relax a crying baby. You can play some of your child's favourite music or use some musical toys to soothe them and put them to sleep. Research conducted on the "Effect of Lullaby Music Versus Rain Sound on Inducing Sleep" concluded that soft music helps kids sleep faster. So, next time your child is showing signs of bedtime meltdowns, play their favourite poem and lullaby to relax them. Also, try playing rhymes only a few times so that your child will not develop screen addiction.

Cuddle in Soft Blanket

Everyone loves soft hugs. Sometimes it's only a warm cuddle that a baby needs as cuddling develops a sense of security. A study conducted on Child-Rearing Practices in Pakistan highlighted the fact that it is a common practice in Pakistan not to cuddle young ones while they need emotional support. The false narrative of people is that cuddling will make kids too demanding. It's time for people to change. Ignoring your child's emotional needs will only create differences between a parent and a child. If your child needs you, be there for them and guarantee that you are always here to protect and shield them.

Takeaway

We know it is not easy as it sounds to deal with the baby's bedtime meltdowns. You have to overcome your stress, anger, and frustration. If you feel alone, don't take tension because over 60% of infants and toddlers have sleeping meltdown problems. The solution is simple: be patient, and deal with temper tantrums smartly.