We can definitely appreciate the challenge of our little ones having trouble sleeping! For children (and adults!), it's important to make sure they have a consistent routine before bed to help their body & mind prepare to wind down before bed. Good sleep - the kind where you rest deeply and can settle yourself if you wake - is actually a learned behaviour, so we need to teach our kids how to sleep before expecting them to do it well. Routine and rituals are important here, do your best to be diligent and it'll pay off in the long run! Think structured wind town time, less screens (if any) in the evening and a set bedtime that you adhere to without fail.
Building a ritual is different for everyone - it could start with dimming the lights around the house after dinner, popping on pjs, spraying a sleep mist and reading a book in bed. It's just important that it's consistent and enjoyable for both parents and children.
Here are our top products we recommend for children to try incorporating in their sleep ritual:
- Aromatherapy - Using a Diffuser and some beautifully formulated essential oils can really work to support the association between the aroma and sleep time. You can also try an Essential Oil Roll On, especially for younger children to roll on their feet as part of your evening ritual. Pop on a pair of socks afterwards to avoid them touching the oils. A note on aromatherapy - not all essential oils are suitable for children, however all of The Goodnight Co. blends are safe for children - additionally, we strongly recommend an ultrasonic diffuser (like all of ours) instead of a tealight diffuser as our diffusers do not use any heat or open flames which can be dangerous. Diffusers are suitable for all ages.
- Sleep Mist - Another beautiful way to enjoy the benefits of aromatherapy!
- Mind Time Kit - Designed to help you practice mindfulness and meditation with your child which can be so beneficial for their sleep and so much more. Our Mind Time Kit for Kids gives you the tools to create a variety of kids sleep meditation experiences, plus our Parent’s Guidebook walks you through how to help take your child through a meditation with options for children from 2 years old through to teens. This can really help your child learn to calm and quieten the mind allows to relax more quickly, and sleep more easily. To begin, you could try incorporating the Kit as part of your evening ritual once a week - like on a Sunday evening or after a challenging school day.
It's also helpful to avoid any screen time at least 2-3 hours before bed, and enjoying a sleep-friendly dinner.
It's also good to remember that kids do tend to stay in deep sleep longer than adults while they’re growing. Sleep talking, night terrors, bed wetting or sleep walking are all ‘deep sleep’ stage issues, so disruptions can be common - and distressing - for both of you. This can be helped by ensuring your child is not too stressed or overtired by the time they fall asleep.
All of the above advice is of a general nature - if you have any concerns for your child's sleep, we strongly recommend discussing this with your healthcare professional.
Shop a range of our products curated to help your child sleep better here.
Read more tips on helping your little loves sleep in The Journal.
