Trying to make bedtimes go smoothly each day is often one of the hardest parental tasks – at any age! Children are very creative at finding reasons to delay going to bed – which can be very trying for parents and can lead to parental “burn out” due to having little to no down time at the end of the day.

If rather than trying to tell your children what to do, you start focusing on what you are willing to do, the whole situation can change. The idea is make it clear to your children that there is an end to your ‘working hours’ as a parent and that after a certain time, it’s ‘adult time’. The children will have to make all of their requests for your time before the deadline is up (such as to read stories, play games, give baths, etc.), and this should result in a much smoother bedtime routine.

Here are examples of what you can tell younger children: “I read a story to children who have brushed their teeth and put their pyjamas on” and/or alternatively: “I start reading a story in 5 minutes and I will be finished reading at 8pm (or whatever time suits you)“.

Inspirational Quotes:

‘Success is the sum of small efforts, repeated day in and day out.’ – Robert Collier

‘Take care of yourself. When Mom’s happy, everyone’s happy.’ – Unknown

These are just a few examples of our Best of Parenting Tools. You can find more ideas and solutions to typical parenting challenges in our book ‘Kids Don’t Come With a Manual – The Essential Guide to a Happy Family Life‘.