Your Kids

Simple Ways To Help Children Get To Sleep

Posted: 2/9/2012

Establishing a bedtime routine can help children relax.

(NAPSI)—Taking the battle out of bedtime may be less of a nightmare with the help of some pediatric sleep specialists.

For example, many parents don’t know that some kids have trouble falling asleep because they are too tired, says Jennifer Waldburger, LCSW, one of the co-founders of Sleepy Planet.

Some children can become overtired and some parents may be trying to put them to bed too late. Most children need to go to bed between 7 and 8 p.m., and if they don’t, they may become too stimulated.

Even with an early bedtime, many children may need some activity before bedtime—some games or playtime after dinner—to help them calm down.

If your child is still stalling, he or she may want to talk about something that is causing anxiety, such as their day at school. Offering kids some choices can help. Ask which pajamas they want to wear or which stories they want you to read.

A bedtime routine can be soothing, whether it’s reading together or watching a show such as “Pajanimals,” a series co-produced by 24-hour preschool television channel Sprout, The Jim Henson Company, and Northern Ireland’s Sixteen South Television. Airing on Sprout in the U.S., the series was designed to help parents and caregivers establish a bedtime routine for their preschoolers. Waldburger and fellow co-founder of Sleepy Planet Jill Spivack lend their expertise to the bedtime themes and song lyrics that cover topics such as encouraging preschoolers to stay in bed, dealing with nightmares and missing your parents at night.

“Pajanimals” characters—Sweetpea Sue the pony, the excitable duck Squacky, the creative cow CowBella and the optimistic puppy Apollo—were designed by the world famous Oscar® and Emmy® Award-winning Jim Henson’s Creature Shop.

“Parents have told us that bedtime is one of the most challenging times of the day,” said Andrew Beecham, senior vice president of programming at Sprout. “This new full-length series provides loveable characters modeling the typical day-to-bedtime transitions that preschoolers encounter every day.”

“Puppets are a great way to connect with young children and encourage them to explore their fears and curiosity,” said Lisa Henson, CEO of The Jim Henson Company.Ê”These cuddly friends welcome viewers to snuggle up for a story and a song.”

For more information call 1.8.SPROUT.411 or go to www.SproutOnline.com.

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