Share
6th June 2021
01:14pm BST
One thing she recommended was to invest in some blackout blinds: “These can be very useful for getting children to sleep in summer when it may still be light outside and will stop the sun from waking them up at dawn.”
Another helpful tip is to encourage kids to play by themselves in the morning. You can help by leaving their favourite teddy or toy near their bed the night before.
She also recommended telling your child they can only get up once it is a certain time.
"You could also try covering up a clock in their room with paper and cutting out a small square over the number 6 or 7, depending on what time they should be staying in bed until. You can then explain to your child that until they see the big hand appear in the window, it’s not time to get up yet."
This will help them associate certain times with their daily routine.
Other things like avoiding sugar before bed, using white noise machines, ensuring the temperature in the room is comfortable can also help.
However, one of the best things a caregiver can do is to stick to a routine so the children have stable bedtimes. This is harder to do when they're not in school, especially with plans changing every day, but it is worth it.
She urged parents to avoid letting children nap in the middle of the day, "The length and frequency of naps should reduce as babies get older, often moving from 2-3 a day to just one in the afternoon."
Children under the age of 2 tend to need 11 to 14 hours of sleep per day, but if your child is going through a bad sleeping pattern then don't worry, Dr Sharryn says the sleep patterns of toddlers change quickly.
Explore more on these topics:
