Parenting Advice Toddler - How to Get Your Toddler to Sleep in His Own Bed

... if you have a family bed in your home as I did, then you're probably starting to realize that there comes a time when your toddler needs to start sleeping in his or her own bed. Sleeping with newborns and babies is one thing, but toddlers move all over the place. I remember all the times my two-year old awakened me because he was pushing me off the bed (or because my husband fell off on the other side) or when I got a toddler foot or fist across the face. My youngest child would invariably end up sleeping with his head near the foot of the bed which meant I was always waking up with little feet in my face.) In this article, I'll give you tips to get your toddler to start sleeping in his or her own bed.

Parenting Advice Toddler - Tips to Get Your Toddler to Sleep in His Own Bed

• Tell your toddler that now that he is no longer a little baby, you're going to get him a big boy (or big girl) bed. Make a big deal of it. Invite your child to sit on your lap and shop to pick out the toddler bed he likes the most. For your convenience, I have included a selection of toddler beds below.

  Parenting Advice Toddler - Picking Out a Toddler Bed

  DaVinci Elizabeth Toddler Bed White The elegant Elizabeth is a great choice for helping your toddler transition from crib to bed. A partial guardrail helps prevent accidental spillovers. Remove the guardrail for a cozy daybed, or use the sides to create a headboard and footboard for a full-size bed. (Note: The footboard is created by connecting the partial guardrail with a second partial guardrail, not pictured.) Elizabeth Toddler Bed

  

  DaVinci Elizabeth Toddler Bed Natural The elegant Elizabeth is a great choice for helping your toddler transition from crib to bed. A partial guardrail helps prevent accidental spillovers. Remove the guardrail for a cozy daybed, or use the sides to create a headboard and footboard for a full-size bed. (Note: The footboard is created by connecting the partial guardrail with a second partial guardrail, not pictured.) Elizabeth Toddler Bed

  

  DaVinci Elizabeth Toddler Bed Cherry The elegant Elizabeth is a great choice for helping your toddler transition from crib to bed. A partial guardrail helps prevent accidental spillovers. Remove the guardrail for a cozy daybed, or use the sides to create a headboard and footboard for a full-size bed. (Note: The footboard is created by connecting the partial guardrail with a second partial guardrail, not pictured.) Elizabeth Toddler Bed

  

  Parenting Advice Toddler

• When the bed arrives, let your toddler help you open the box and help you set it up. Make sure to buy toddler bedding that your toddler has helped you pick out. Make the bed, ask your toddler to lie down on it and ask him how it feels to have his own bed, all to himself. Below are some affordable recommendations for toddler bedding.

  Parenting Advice Toddler: Toddler Bed and Bedding Choices

  American Baby Company (ABC) Lavender Dots & Celery Patchwork Toddler Bedding Set Lavender Dots/Celery Here's a basic bedding ensemble that blends subtly into a room, allowing you to get creative with other accent pieces. The reversible comforter features either stars or a solid color on one side, and reverses to either stripes or a complementary solid color. On the fitted sheet, elastic across the top and bottom (as opposed to just the corners) ensures a snug fit. And bottom elastic keeps the top sheet and comforter neatly and securely tucked in. Lavender Dots & Celery Patchwork Toddler Bedding Set

  

  American Baby Company (ABC) 100% Cotton Four-Piece Toddler Set Pink Stars Here's a basic bedding ensemble that blends subtly into a room, allowing you to get creative with other accent pieces. The reversible comforter features either stars or a solid color on one side, and reverses to either stripes or a complementary solid color. On the fitted sheet, elastic across the top and bottom (as opposed to just the corners) ensures a snug fit. And bottom elastic keeps the top sheet and comforter neatly and securely tucked in. 100percent Cotton Four-Piece Toddler Set

  

  American Baby Company (ABC) 100% Cotton Four-Piece Toddler Set Royal Blue/Red Here's a basic bedding ensemble that blends subtly into a room, allowing you to get creative with other accent pieces. The reversible comforter features either stars or a solid color on one side, and reverses to either stripes or a complementary solid color. On the fitted sheet, elastic across the top and bottom (as opposed to just the corners) ensures a snug fit. And bottom elastic keeps the top sheet and comforter neatly and securely tucked in. 100percent Cotton Four-Piece Toddler Set

  

  Parenting Advice Toddler

• If you don't have bedtime rituals, now is the time to start creating them. Following are the rituals my husband and I used in our home. If your child typically goes to bed at 8:30 pm, about two hours before bedtime, engage your child in some physical activity, like hide and seek, tag or any activity which allows your child to expend stored energy accumulated during the day.

• Next, give your child a warm bath. Use an aromatic bath oil that has a natural calming effect. The bath oil I use is called MellowMama and can also be used for mommy's bath time. Stay with your child while he plays quietly with his toys and listen as he chatters about his day. Don't encourage horseplay or splash the water as this will reinvigorate him. After his bath, wrap him in a warm towel, so he will be even more relaxed.

• Help him get on his pajamas, then read him a story that has a relaxing theme. Let yourself yawn a couple of times during the story (because by now, you're probably getting sleepy too), so that your child will mimic you and begin to release the tension in his neck and shoulders so he can easily fall asleep.

• If your child has had a tense or overstimulating day, you may want to give him a back massage before bedtime. This is a special treat for both you and him and is a great way to soothe and connect with your child. When my children were little, I used the same aromatic massage oil I used on them when they were babies. Smell is a powerful trigger. If you use this oil only to calm your child down after a stimulating day, just the smell of it will help your child begin to relax. My favorite oil is Blissful Baby Aromatic Massage. It is 100% natural and soothes skin, improves circulation and promotes relaxation. You can even use it on yourself.

• On some nights instead of reading a story, you can watch a movie. Pick a family-related theme. An easy and affordable way to watch movies without having to buy them is to rent them from Netflix. Best of all, there are no late fees. Netflix lets you rent, watch and return DVDs from home - Try free for 2 weeks

• For children who have difficulty falling asleep, a holistic supplement may help to establish regular sleep patterns. Serenite Jr is a 100% natural, FDA-approved supplement that is gentle enough to use for babies and toddlers. (This is an excellent supplement for fussy babies.

• Sing your child a go-to-sleep song. I used to sing my boys a song that I made up. It was a song I wrote about resting their eyes and going to sleep until the sunshine wakes them the next day.

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About the author: Laura Ramirez is the author of the award-winning parenting book, Keepers of the Children: Native American Wisdom and Parenting which uses native ideas to help parents raise children to develop their natural strength and grow up to lead uniquely fulfilling and productive lives. The book is a journey of self-discovery for child and parent.

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