Ten Tips to Turn Bedtime into Sleep Time

By Lori Lite

Top 10 fun tips you and your child will love!

• Serve up a mostly banana, banana split for an early evening snack. The high content of potassium, magnesium and serotonin found in bananas promote relaxation and earns you big points with the kids.
• Teach your child belly breathing with a story called “Sea Otter Cove”. This simple, self-calming technique decreases stress and insures a more restful sleep.
• Have a good laugh! Take turns telling jokes or reading a joke book together. Laughter is a great stress reducer and encourages happy dreams.
• Be creative! Paint a soothing dolphin on their bedroom wall or hang a large photo of their favorite pet. It is comforting to fall asleep looking at a smiling face.
• Turn on your favorite relaxation music or try a CD designed to lull children to sleep while teaching them relaxation techniques. The “Indigo Dreams” CD is a kid favorite.
• Try an eye pillow. It is a novelty for kids and it keeps their eyes closed long enough to fall asleep.
• Change your child’s bed sheets and blanket to a calming shade of blue. Blue’s restful and peaceful qualities evoke images of tropical waters and clear skies.
• Create a kid spa by making a bubble bath and lighting candles instead of lights. Yes, even kids enjoy pampering themselves.
• Take your child outside to blow bubbles. Imagine putting anything you are worried about into the bubble and watch it float away. The “Indigo Dreams: Garden of Wellness” CD has a bubble blowing practice session to help you out.
• Exchange foot rubs, back massages, or facials. You and your child will both benefit from this one!

 For more inforamtion on helping children manage stress & anxiety visit our Stress Free Kids website