Summer is finally here. With all of the good weather, fun outdoor activities, and late sunset who would want to go to sleep just because the clock says 8:00pm?! At the best of times, toddlers and preschoolers seem to have more important things to do than sleep. Coupled with what summer brings, it may be even more difficult to convince your little one that it is time for bed.

The most common sleep problems faced by parents of toddlers and preschoolers include bedtime stalling (aka as “curtain calls” – just one more kiss!), night or early morning wakings and daytime sleep difficulties – just to name a few.

Here are some tips to help your kids get the sleep they need:

Make your child’s room conducive to sleep. A good sleep environment includes little to no light or noise, a temperature on the cool side of comfortable (think what a lightly clothed adult would be comfortable in) and a safe and comfortable sleep space. According to Canadian Paediatric Society guidelines the safest place for young children to sleep is in a crib, or, for an older toddler or preschooler, a bed with guard rails. White noise can be helpful to block out household and external noise. As light is a common sleep disrupter – particularly in the summer – room darkening shades can be helpful to block outside light coming into your child’s room.

Ensure your child falls asleep independently. Make sure that your little one knows how to fall asleep on his own! I know…this can be easier said than done. However, research shows that children who fall asleep on their own take less time to fall asleep compared to those who require help. Also, as many parents are aware, children who need help getting to sleep, often need help to return to sleep when they have brief periods of arousal during the night.

Signal to your child that nighttime is for sleeping. If your child is falling asleep on his own but is still waking at night – well, you guessed it – he needs to learn to put himself back to sleep when he wakes. A simple morning signal to let kids know the day has begun can be made by plugging a night-light into a timer. Teach your child that when the light is off it is “sleepy-time” (and he must return to sleep on his own) and when the light turns on it is morning time and he can call out.

Stick to a regular sleep schedule. As hard as it may be, especially in the summer, sticking to a regular sleep schedule can help children fall asleep quickly and get enough sleep. When bedtime and naptimes happen at roughly the same time every day, sleep comes more easily and quickly. Also, as many of us know, most children who go to bed late don’t sleep in to make up for the later bedtime (if only that was the case!). And thanks to the stress hormone cortisol – which is released when children (and adults) get overtired – a later than usual bedtime can lead to more sleep difficulties. So…..unless it is a special occasion, try to get your children to bed at their usual time. A good bedtime for young children is between 7:00-8:00pm or 8:30pm for preschoolers who are still napping.

For more information on toddler and preschooler’s sleep, and establishing healthy sleep habits see:

Sleep Problems in Toddlers and Preschoolers                                                                 http://www.kidsleep.ca/articles.html

Healthy Sleep for Your Baby and Child (Canadian Paediatric Society) http://www.caringforkids.cps.ca/healthybodies/healthysleep.htm

Pleasant dreams!

Dr. Nicky Cohen
Clinical Psychologist

Dr. Nicky Cohen is a Registered Psychologist in private practice in Toronto. She received her Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology from York University and developed an interest in parenting issues related to children’s sleep disturbances after having her first child 8 years ago. She is active in the community disseminating information on healthy sleep practices and increasing awareness of the importance of making sufficient sleep a family priority. Dr. Cohen has held various research and clinical positions at the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, the Hospital for Sick Children, and the University Health Network (Toronto General Hospital). More information about Dr. Cohen’s work can be found at: www.kidsleep.ca.