Plus what we use when we need sleep support.
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We have been asked this a few times, how do you get your kids to bed so easily? My first response is always a bedtime routine. Kid’s, and to be honest even us adults, thrive on routine. If we know what is going to happen then we are more relaxed and not stressed. So, of course our tiny humans are also going to thrive off of routine.
Everyone is in bed by 9pm. Like no matter what day of the week it is, we are all in bed by 9pm EXCEPT if that kid has practice that runs late or a game during the week. Also, of course if we’re out with family and we had this planned ahead of time.
Obviously there are always exceptions to the routine factor, just make sure that exception is worth it.
So, our kids are mostly in bed by 9pm. They go to the bathroom, brush teeth, get changed, grab their water bottles and then get in their beds. Every kid has a different goodnight handshake routine with us. Sophia does a fist bump, high five, and a side hug. Liam does a fist bump, high five and full hug. Ian does 3 fist bumps, 3 high fives, 3 kisses, and 3 hugs. Declan does a high five, fist bump, hug, kiss on the cheek, boop on the nose and then tickle. Elijah just nurses to sleep still but he has been finding it fun to try and interact with his siblings and try to do the high fives and fist bumps.
Now of course there’s always the times when someone isn’t just feeling sleepy. Usually it has to do with being overstimulated, overtired, teething, sick or just not going to sleep for some other reason.
**Remember none of this is medical advice.
I don’t really like giving melatonin when the kids can’t sleep. Your body is supposed to naturally make this. Getting morning sunlight on your body and in your eyes (no sunglasses) helps your body regulate. Always try to go to the natural root when in doubt.
Some sleep products that I actually like, my number one is Tart Cherry Juice by Rowe Casa. Just one tablespoon or less can help your kids, and even you, drift off to sleepyland. I also really like Rowe Casa’s Deep Sleep Lotion. Those two products will have you sleeping in no time and we feel as parents completely comfortable using it for our kids.
Another product we have used in the past is Mary Ruth’s Nighttime Multimineral. This has some minerals and vitamins to help with a restful night’s sleep. There are a few different flavors and again we feel comfortable giving it to our children.
The last liquid sleep product we have used is Sleepy Time from Earthley. It is a herbal extract with Catnip leaf, Skullcap, and Passionflower.
The other big thing for restful sleep is magnesium. We have both Rowe Casa’s Magnesium Gel and Earthley’s Goodnight Lotion, which is magnesium lotion. I prefer the texture of Earthley’s magnesium lotion over the gel from Rowe Casa but that’s just me. My kids don’t care either way though. Magnesium is such an IMPORTANT mineral that we are missing from our lifestyles. So this could be a contribution to why you cannot sleep well.
If you feel like you need more magnesium I highly recommend Seeking Health’s Optimal Magnesium. It has lysinate, glycinate, and malate forms of magnesium for optimal bioavailability. We have never given this to our children but as adults this has been amazing.
All in all, a good bedtime routine is what works
Okay, so as far as sleeping goes for kids I highly recommend making a routine for your kids. They will thank you for it I promise. If you have never had an actual routine, take it slow and don’t be completely strict. Figure out what works and what doesn’t work. Like some kids actually get stimulated from baths and it doesn’t relax them. So bath time might not work for your child as part of their bedtime routine no matter how much lavender oil you add to the bathwater. Be firm if you’re reading stories though. Have a small selection for them to choose from and say how many stories and how many times you will read that story or stories. That is something to be strict about and the time that they need to be IN bed.
I also want to be completely up front and honest that just because our children are IN bed by 9pm they are not asleep right at 9pm. We hear the boys talking and laughing but they do not get up out of their beds. Sophia will read or paint some nights, but she has her own room, she’s 13 and she’s not on any electronics. Her electronics don’t stay in her room at night and the wifi automatically gets cut off at 9pm.
And if you feel like your child needs some sleep support, there are a few options to choose from that I will link below. I also highly recommend a pediatric chiropractor! Yes, a chiro for your child! Our kids see them regularly for everything. If you’re not in alignment then your body won’t function properly and this goes for sleep as well! Some of our kids sleep AMAZING the day OF their adjustment and the others sleep amazing the day AFTER their adjustment. So as always it just depends on the individual person.
If you have any other helpful sleepy time tips leave a comment!
With cold and flu season coming up, read our post about what we love and works in our home.
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