Rather than our kids having to go back to sleep “because we said so,” they understand it’s time for sleep without needing us to say so, because the light is red, or it’s still off.Īnd rather than it seeming like we’re simply “deciding” when our child can get up for the day, the clock changing colors is “deciding” for us. I think toddler clocks play a big role in fostering further independence with our kids. While we’ll kiss them goodnight, we teach them how to tuck themselves back in if their covers fall off in the middle of the night. While we tell them when it’s bedtime, they can choose their jammies and their books. It’s so important that we, as parents, remain consistent when it comes to boundaries and expectations with our children.Īnd along with consistency from us, as parents, comes independence for our children. When I work with families of toddlers and older children, two words I use regularly are independence and consistency. If your child has expressed a fear of the dark, however, you can absolutely use a night light. A rule of thumb I have around night lights, however, is to only introduce one if your child has expressed a fear of the dark, which usually doesn’t come up until kids are closer to three.īecause we still want your child’s room to be dark dark dark, we don’t want to suggest that the dark might be scary, or accidentally teach your child that the dark is scary, and then offer a night light that’s not necessary. Some parents also use their toddler clock as a night light. As you’re working on setting bedtime and overnight expectations, teaching your child that if the light is off, or if it’s a certain color, it means it’s still time to stay in bed.Īnother reason I love the Hatch is that you can set an overnight night light to red, and teach your child that, “Red means bed.” Some parents will then say, “Green means go” in the morning, or simply let your child pick another fun color to wake up to. Toddler clocks are also great for toddlers and older kids who still wake up in the night. So set a bedtime/night time rule that when the light is off, or the clock doesn’t show the “Magic 7” yet, your child must remain in bed and quiet.įor the kiddos who regularly wake-up before 6:00 am, especially, teaching them they have to remain in bed, lying down, and quiet until their light comes on can actually re-train them to fall back asleep and re-set their body clocks to a more reasonable time!Īnd depending on your child’s age and “house rules,” you get to decide what happens when the light comes on – can the child get out of bed, or is that when a parent will come and get her?įor older children who can handle a bit more freedom, their rule might even be they need to stay in their room until the clock changes, but may read or play quietly until then. My favorite use of toddler clocks is for the toddlers and older kids who wake up super early. Although those early risers are cute, few people want to start their day before 6:00 am or if you’re a morning person, you probably want to start your day solo. How Toddler Clocks Can Support Your Child’s Sleep Early Morning Wakings
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