There is a secret to success in dealing with children that few know and even fewer take advantage of. The fact is that children thrive when their lives follow a schedule. Regular meals, set hours for daily activities, and a daily routine lower stress, give an increased feeling of security, and ensure that the most important things in their lives are not neglected. Bedtime rituals for children are part of a beneficial family schedule.
A ritual is often thought of as religious, but this is not necessarily true. The main thing about a ritual is that it involves repetitive actions, is practiced on a regular basis, and has particular importance attached to it by practitioners. Therefore, any established series of actions can be ritualistic. This concept fits very well into the scheduled life that fosters emotional and physical health in kids.
Bedtime is important for kids, who require hours more sleep than adults because they are still developing and growing. However, many kids resist going to bed, and this time of day can be chaotic if parents don't plan ahead. Medical professionals say that many children are sleep-deprived, which is a definite health hazard. Parents, who deserve some quiet evening hours, can contribute to the quality of family life by taking certain steps.
Electronic babysitters have come to take up more and more time and attention. However, research has shown that all of us, not just younger people, should stop all screen time at least an hour before bed. The blue light from a television or computer screen sends wake-up signals to the brain. Fortunately, soft yellow electric light does not, and darkness promotes sound sleep.
So - getting the kids away from the television and making computer games off-limits in the evening is a good thing. If a special time is set for this end-of-day restriction, other things can be substituted. One way to do this is to send the kids off to get in their pajamas - with as much help as is necessary - and brush their teeth. A warm bath is known to enhance restful night, so this could be included, too.
Reading a bedtime story is one of the best evening ritual strategies, since parent and child interact. This habit has made authors and publishers of childrens' books prosperous. Younger kids may fall asleep to the sound of their mom's or dad's voice reading a story they probably have memorized. If not, they will be soothed enough to fall asleep when story time is over.
Any activities that relax rather than stimulate can be part of the routine. Each family will undoubtedly have their own program. Praying, reading scripture, reading a serial if the kids are a little older, even allowing them to read to themselves for a time before Mom or Dad comes to tuck them in can work.
The main problem with scheduled activities is that they require self-discipline on the part of the adults, who seem to be harder and harder to engage. However, studies show that having this sort of regular routine is much more beneficial than most people realize.
A ritual is often thought of as religious, but this is not necessarily true. The main thing about a ritual is that it involves repetitive actions, is practiced on a regular basis, and has particular importance attached to it by practitioners. Therefore, any established series of actions can be ritualistic. This concept fits very well into the scheduled life that fosters emotional and physical health in kids.
Bedtime is important for kids, who require hours more sleep than adults because they are still developing and growing. However, many kids resist going to bed, and this time of day can be chaotic if parents don't plan ahead. Medical professionals say that many children are sleep-deprived, which is a definite health hazard. Parents, who deserve some quiet evening hours, can contribute to the quality of family life by taking certain steps.
Electronic babysitters have come to take up more and more time and attention. However, research has shown that all of us, not just younger people, should stop all screen time at least an hour before bed. The blue light from a television or computer screen sends wake-up signals to the brain. Fortunately, soft yellow electric light does not, and darkness promotes sound sleep.
So - getting the kids away from the television and making computer games off-limits in the evening is a good thing. If a special time is set for this end-of-day restriction, other things can be substituted. One way to do this is to send the kids off to get in their pajamas - with as much help as is necessary - and brush their teeth. A warm bath is known to enhance restful night, so this could be included, too.
Reading a bedtime story is one of the best evening ritual strategies, since parent and child interact. This habit has made authors and publishers of childrens' books prosperous. Younger kids may fall asleep to the sound of their mom's or dad's voice reading a story they probably have memorized. If not, they will be soothed enough to fall asleep when story time is over.
Any activities that relax rather than stimulate can be part of the routine. Each family will undoubtedly have their own program. Praying, reading scripture, reading a serial if the kids are a little older, even allowing them to read to themselves for a time before Mom or Dad comes to tuck them in can work.
The main problem with scheduled activities is that they require self-discipline on the part of the adults, who seem to be harder and harder to engage. However, studies show that having this sort of regular routine is much more beneficial than most people realize.
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