How to Sleep Train Toddlers and Big Kids

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One of the hardest parts and struggles of taking care of young kids and toddlers is putting them to bed. Kids hate sleeping, and as much as we older people love sleeping, young kids and toddlers still cannot understand the importance and benefits of sleep. 

If your kid has already left the crib stage and now sleeps on his own bunk or bed, you might have a hard time putting them sleep. Why? Mainly because kids tend to feel uncomfortable at first and it's hard for them to fall asleep. Putting them to bed can be tiring and frustrating, and you might end up feeling fed up, but the solution to this dilemma is actually quite simple: you need to learn some sleeping techniques that you can use on your children.

There are tons of methods and tricks that you can use when putting your children to sleep. One good example would be letting your kid deal with your absence for short periods of time. After that, when you can see that they are getting the hang of your absences, gradually increase the absence through time. It is also effective to praise them when you get back. A simple "good job kiddo" would suffice. You can also tell them how brave they are to now sleep alone and not need anyone beside them. This way, the child will feel pride in themselves.

To know more about some techniques and tricks on how to sleep train your kids, here are some tips that you might want to consider.

How To Sleep Train Your Kids 

• Make going to bed a fun time. Before you put them to bed, you can always act a little bit goofy around them. This way, they will have a light mood when they crawl up in bed. You can also get in your pajamas just like them. You can have a little play with their stuffed animals in their bunks and pretend that you guys will be sleeping altogether. Make his bedtime as fun as possible for your kid to be used to it. After being all goofy, your kid will look forward to bedtime every night, which is a good thing. 

• Do it at least a few times a week. Putting your kids into bed may take a lot of time and effort, and this is such a dilemma especially for working parents. However, the more you practice these techniques, the more effective it gets as the day goes by. 

• Take a break. You can always lay beside your kid for a few minutes and tell them you need to go out and that you'll be right back in a few. This will allow your kids to be alone with themselves. Give them a kiss and then leave them for a few minutes. After that, check on them again and see if they are still awake. If they are, you can always congratulate and praise them for being so behaved and cozy in their beds. If they have fallen asleep, all you need to do is give them a good night's kiss and turn off their lights.