Bedtime battleground…

Our top 4 ways to a bedtime truce
Most of us long for those moments of bedtime snuggles, connection and whispered sweet nothings as our kids drift off to sleep with a smile on their faces. But the harsh reality is that, “Time for bed”, is often met with groans, excuses, frustration and arguments.
By the end of the day, you just want unwind, sit back and do “you” and yet when you’re continuously met with “I can’t get to sleep” or “I’m scared”, our patience often wears thin, and we become snappy and abrupt.
Just like us, our kids need the opportunity to unwind after their day and prepare their little bodies for sleep. When we provide this space for them, we maximise our chances of ending up with a little “me” time.
Following are 4 great strategies for helping your child, prepare their body for sleep….
1) Colouring mandalas:
Through my work running Mindfulness & Meditation Programs for Kids, I am always astounded to see the energy level drop and a sense of calm take over whenever we do mandala work. Colouring is a wonderful form of meditation for children as it centres their attention.
2) Protection:
Does your child struggle with bedtime fears? Are they suddenly happy one moment and then once lying in their beds, they feel vulnerable and don’t want you to leave?

Try encouraging them to set energetic boundaries and calling in protection. You might use angels, unicorns, lions, fairies….whatever your child relates to, and talk them through this mantra. (We use angels here so that’s what I’ll go with)….
You can also ask your child to pick a colour that makes them feel safe, get them to close their eyes and picture a beautiful coloured bubble around them like a force field.

3) Breathing and Meditation:
Deep breathing and meditation go hand-in-hand, but so many of us don’t know how to breathe properly. One of the easiest techniques I use for teaching kids how to breathe deeply, is to have your child to select their favourite small stuffed toy, and place it on their belly. Ask them to take a deep breath in and see the toy rise, then as they breathe out, get them to watch it fall. Get them to continue to do this as they are laying down listening to their bedtime meditation.

There are literally so many options for this. You can find guided scripts online, that you can read out to your little one(s). Or there are apps that can be downloaded.
You may like to download entire albums of guided meditations for children from iTunes, like this one that I have used for many years for my own children, https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/meditations-for-children/369555259 and podcasts are also a great option.
If all else fails, you can turn to YouTube and find some beautiful, calming and sleep inducing music to play (not to watch).
Meditation is such a powerful gift to give to our children and studies show the immense benefits. From better concentration, higher grades at school and improving neural pathways in the brain, meditation is an essential tool for everyone, but especially kids.
4) Awareness & Empowerment:
Why is it mama (or papa) that you’re so invested in your child going to bed? Are they really tired, or is it because you are craving “clock off time”?
Imagine your partner or friend demanding that you go to bed and to sleep at this very moment (sounds like a dream come true hey? Haha). But in reality, you’d probably fight back. Tell them you weren’t tired; that you’re in the middle of something; that they can’t tell you what to do…right?
Once our kids reach a certain age or maturity level, it’s important to empower them with the ability to make decisions that directly affect them. Of course, boundaries are important, but what if I told you that you could have your cake and eat it too (without having to share it with the kids)? Would you believe me if I said you could get the “you” time you’ve been craving, whilst allowing your kids to choose when they go off to bed?

Here’s to calm bedtimes, rested kids and happy parents.
Mwah!
Deanne xxx
Trinity Kids Australia