What is guaranteed to drive your toddler crazy? Four little words, “It’s time to go to bed”! These words are enough to turn any small child into an argumentative little being. If you’re a parent whose toddler doesn’t sleep, you know what I’m talking about. So what can you do to get that kid into bed? Instead of standing around pulling your hair out, I have six helpful tips to offer to get any toddler into bedtime mode. All of these tips have been tested and proven to work, however not all of them will work on all young children.

1. Keep your toddler busy while he’s awake. Parents with young children know that they have a lot of energy. Take your toddler to a playground or let him run around the yard so he can burn off that excess energy. Remember when you were a kid, didn’t you love to play outside?

2. For rainy days, keep him busy with toys inside. Give him a variety of toys so he doesn’t get bored, and remember that mental activity can be just as exhausting as physical activity.

3. Whatever you do, you want to make sure you pick a realistic bedtime. Children are like adults, they have different sleep patterns. Some are early risers, while others are night owls. While you’ll be able to control this to some degree, it’s worth it to compromise with your child and consider moving up bedtime if he’s still up at 7 p.m. On the other hand, if he’s too tired for dinner, move both meal and bedtime earlier. lie down to accommodate it. Doing this will save you a lot of arguments and stress!

4. Naps during the day can also affect your child’s sleep at night. If bedtime is a constant battle, try cutting or shortening your naps during the day.

5. If your toddler doesn’t usually nap during the day, then ask him to have a quiet rest period, which will refresh and revitalize him until bedtime.

6. Have a bedtime routine and stick to it! It’s very easy to get off track, so this may take a bit of effort at first. Start the routine right after dinner and stick with it. If, despite trying this routine for a few weeks, your child still finds it impossible to go to bed, a glass of warm milk may do the trick. Under no circumstances give your child any type of sleep medication, no matter how mild. It will always lead to more sleep problems in the future.

I hope these tips are helpful when your child is not sleeping. Long story short, lots of activity throughout the day will ensure that your toddler is ready for bed at bedtime. As a bonus, all that activity is good for your health, too. Now here’s an additional safety tip; If your child is a sleepwalker or tends to wander at night, simply place a bell on the bedroom door.