Bedtime rituals are important to children. They help families bond, communicate, and re-connect at the end of the day. Creating a bedtime ritual sends the message that you care and you want to be with them. Bedtime rituals are recommended for everyone in the family, regardless of age!

Examples of Bedtime Rituals

• Read aloud together, or read quietly side by side
• Talk
• Bathe
• Brush
• Sing
• Listen to music
• Massage/scratch back/rock/cuddle
• Tuck into bed
• Pray
• Tell story
• A hug or kiss

Tips for Successful Bedtime Rituals

• Create a regular bedtime and stick to it
• Spend at least 30 minutes winding down before bedtime
• Think slow
• Involve your child in choosing the connecting activities that make rituals special
• Avoid bringing up disciplinary matters
• Make the ritual long enough for pleasurable and meaningful contact with your child
• Once you have kissed your children good night, do not permit them to leave the bedroom unless something is clearly wrong
• Do not insist that your child fall asleep right away
• Be consistent between both parents or caregivers
• Be creative --- adjust your ritual as the children get older or your routine changes
• Avoid TV and computers in the bedroom

"There is no more powerful ritual in family life than exchanging the last words of the day, the last kiss, the last "I love you", the final tucking-in as the sun disappears and we enter the world of sleep and dreams."

Please TELL US about your family's bedtime rituals so we can share it with others.

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