How Do You Make Your Kid Sleep Early?

My daughter is extremely independent and does this too. She doesn't stay up too late. But she resists a structured bedtime. Most times, I ask her to stay in her room (at bedtime hour) until she gets sleepy. She can have her light on and play on her bed with her toys. Usually she gets sleepy and lies down and puts her ownself to sleep without my help within an hour or so. It's her choice to fall asleep then, and not mine so she feels in control! Some children are that way. Maybe this same technique would help your son. Be well! Thanks for posting such an interesting discussion.

And I thought that I was the unluckiest mom in the world your and my problems are so similar its kind of uncanny, you know. My son turns 9 this July, his school starts at 7am (so that means the school bus comes for him at 6:15), and he doesn’t sleep before 12 / 12:30 in the night! This means mommy dear has to get up at 5:15 am and cant sleep well before 12:30 at night. I am all red eyes throughout the day and my jaws literally ache due to continuous yawning. I just wanted to say how much I sympathise with your problem and I was also scrolling down the responses to see if there’s something in it for me. But most of the suggestions I don’t think would work….I mean post-dinner I cant make my son run a mile to tire him out nor can I give him a warm bath in this hot Indian summer. Reading books is passé …I call him the ghost’s child…as night progresses, his eyes open wider!

well, i don't have a child yet at the moment... but i can remember when i am still a child, my parents are very strict in making me sleep early and on time... well, they have to start with punishment at first to teach me discipline... they take away my privileges like watching TV, playing games and my pocket money whenever i sleep over the time that is stated by them... so me and my elder brother know exactly when we have to go to bed... after that, it becomes a habit and we do it without being asked... good luck... take care and have a nice day...

My six year old had the same problem, although it's not 11pm or 12pm, it's more like 9pm or 10pm. She says she's not tired either. I've found that doing some physical activity after dinner with her, like bike riding or going for a walk helps tire her. I also give her a bath with a few drops of lavender essential oil to calm her. I started putting her to bed 15 minutes earlier, like this: 8:45pm for 3 days, then 8:30 for 3 days and so on until we got it down to 8pm. That seemed to trick her body and now she is used to going to bed at that time and actually gets tired earlier. I have to keep that same schedule on the weekend though, or I end up starting all over.

Same problem with me. My elder girl does not sleep till 12.00 normally. I am not able to find a good formula to make he sleep early even if she had not slept in afternoon. I have a formula, but she is too young to apply this formula as she is 4 years old only. But you can do it as yours kid at 9. It worked for me when I was child and also working for my nephew as he is 11 years old. JUST GIVE HIM A SCHOOL TEXT BOOK AND ASK HIM TO STUDY!!!. Nothing works like this.

i don't have kids my own so far. but im taking care of my 2 little cousins right now. and they are so active at night because while i was in work they took a nap in the afternoon. so usually i made them milk. then i tap them. but if non does not work at all. i pretend to be asleep while they were playing in the room. when they saw me sleeping they would prefer so lay beside me. then suddenly falls to sleep. thats when i tap them also.

I think it would be best to make a bedtime routine with him. Something that starts every night at the same time: shower, PJ's, storytime, cuddling time and then bed. If he's not sleepy yet, bad luck, he has to stay in, either asleep or awake, but bed it is. And if he comes out, just put him back, 1 time, 5 times, 100 times, without comment. Without being angry, without talking. Just put him back and say: it's time for bed and walk away. I bet it won't take long before he starts sleeping at a normal hour.

Due to his age, I'd say he's really liking all the attention he's getting while you're trying to get him to go to sleep. Set a specific bedtime and stick to it. On the "Supernanny" show, she says to tell them it's bedtime and take them to bed and tell them you love them, tuck them in and leave. When they get up, you tell them it's bedtime and take them back to bed and leave. Everytime after that they get up, you take them back and put them in bed an leave....for as many times as it takes for them to stay in their room and go to sleep. After the first few nights, they'll stay in their room and go to sleep.

well, i'm sure that many have said try to tire him out before sleeping and you said it didn't work. that's a pity as it does for me. my son is 5 this year. more than tiring him out, i let him go out to play for at least an hour with his friends in the evenings before dinner. then when he comes home, i bathe him, give him milk to drink. it will already be 7.30 pm by then. after that we have our dinner where he'll eat a little too, and then he drinks hot milk again. formula milk by the way. after that, he'll naturally feel sleepy. and he goes to sleep on his own. i feel it's because of a combination of him feeling tired from playing as well as his stomach being full. if this doesn't work, you could try going into the bedroom with him by maybe around 9 or latest 10. switch on a small light and maybe read some books with him. or you could stay with him until he goes to sleep. i used to do that with him initially but after i gave birth recently, our routine's changed. now he sleeps automatically after drinking milk in the living room. i haven't even been able to read to him thus. hope this and other suggestions work for you. good luck.

As a kid, our metabolism are to high that make as hyper. Try to make him play a physical game to burn his energy, table tennis, basketball, soccer etc...Then observe him if he would sleep early...

As you said school will start soon. He'll get used to the new routine in no time. After all getting up early to go to school and all the activity he'll be having there will give him a new rythem in his life. And as soon as it has make sure you a bit stricter if he tries to get out of going to bed on time again.

Take him for a drive around the block, works every time

hi ur son is not very small u can try talking to him...or let him sleep late but make him get up at 5 or 6 whatever time he is needed to get up...soon he will start sleeping on time bcoz of less sleep...my son is three years old...he normally sleeps only when i lie down with him and tap him...my son sometimes sleeps at 2 am and his school starts at 8 am..irrespective of wt time he sleeps he has to wake up at 6:45am...this works of me..u need to b stern abt the time he wakes up in the morning..bedtime will automatically fall in place..good luck

Sorry to tell you but there is only one way ... beat him until he wants to go to bed (devil) or you could give him sleeping pills(the pills will make him to go to bed :)).I think there isn't anything unusual about that.When he wants he will slepp. Maybe he haves much energy. Give him a shovel and let him dig for 1-2 hours and he will go to bed on time.That's normal. You don't have to worry.Don't worry be happy :).

No offense to you or your son, but personally I feel that my child will be going to bed when I tell them to and if they have a problem with it oh well. All of my children except my newborn go to bed @ 9pm during the week and 10pm on the weekends. That is just the way that it is.

First of all, Are the kids in your country same here in korea? Wherein they're attending school in a very young age, just like my son.He started to go school at the age of two. Last year , just simply playing inside the school but he stays there from 9am - 4pm. This year , they're already starting to learn some basic lessons. Anyway, regarding my tactics on how I let my son sleep 9pm regularly, is like this. Last year when he started to attend school , those were the days of my stressful morning...lol. Lots of crying and shouting every school days. Then i tried once to let him sleep at 9pm. He cried so much because he still wanted to play. So the first and second attempt was not successful. I tried it once again, this time i decided to be firmed and just let him cried until he fall sleep. Then slowly by slowly he's aware already that 9pm is sleeping hour. It's just a matter of decipline. I hope it helps. Good luck!

Hi,maybe if you give him sweets food or chocolate lessen it coz sweets food let the children more hyper... or maybe ask help from a therapist near you ...