Have you ever wondered why that child is screaming at Wal-Mart? My experience has shown that most children that act out in public places like that are either tired, hungry or bored.
Yes, it is easier to just let the little one decide when he or she is hungry, tired or bored, but research has shown that in the long run, structured (scheduled) activities are better for the child and causes less headaches for parents.
With infants, it is easy to keep to a schedule because no one wants a sick infant, but older children do better with structure and schedules as well. Keeping a consistent sleeping, eating and playing schedule allows the child to know exactly what is expected at any given time.
By the time a child is eighteen months old, the child should recognize the signals of bedtime, dinnertime and playtime. As the child grows older, these scheduled activities should be changed, but the signals should remain the same throughout the entire childhood.
Bedtime
I have seen times when parents allow their little ones to wander around after dark, playing until ten or eleven at night. These are not school-age children who have teachers that expect them to remain awake during school hours, but preschool children who have no one expecting anything special from them.
Of course, there are times when keeping a regular schedule seems impossible. Parents need to work overtime, homework needs to be finished, or unexpected visitors need attention, but these things can be worked around.
Babysitters usually have their own schedule, but they can be talked into following a different schedule if your child has different needs.
While parents may be too tired after a full school/work day to finish their homework after the little one is in bed, that may be how it has to be for a short time.
Family and friends are always nice to visit with, but they should be told immediately if they are interfering with a schedule. If done politely, they will allow you time to deal with the schedule.
But, all children of any age should have a scheduled bedtime. Of course, the teenager doesn’t need as much sleep as the two year old, but everyone in the family benefits from having a set bedtime, even parents.
To determine what time your child should be in bed, figure out what time your child needs to wake up in the morning. Then subtract the number of hours a child that age requires of sleep.
The WebMD article, “How Much Sleep Do Children Need?” tells the number of hours a child needs to sleep as well as why the child needs that much sleep. The article lists sleep requirements for children as young as one week old to as old as eighteen years old.
Bedtime tips:
• Set a bedtime schedule and stick to it
• Have the child bathe half an hour to one hour before bedtime (this tends to relax the child)
• Have the child go to the bathroom and get their drink of water ten to fifteen minutes before bedtime
• Read or tell the child a bedtime story to help him or her calm down
• Stick to the bedtime and ignore the crying and screaming (you may go to the room in ten minutes to assure the child you are still there, but DO NOT allow the child up).
This may take a few days to implement without distress, but within a week, you’ll have a calm, quiet bedtime routine and fewer problems at Wal-Mart.