Have a bedtime routine, however allow for some flexibility.

Follow the same pattern of events each night, even if the timings are slightly different

Give your child a bath each night. What better way for her to unwind and get ready for going to sleep. It is also a pre curser for getting into bed, toddlers thrive on this type of routine because they like to know what is coming next.

Have a set number of books to read with your child at bedtime. It’s a lovely time to read and share a story or 2, along with a chat about the pictures, but don’t allow story time to go on for too long. Toddlers and young children can easily become over tired and more resistant to sleep.

Teach your toddler to self-settle and become an independent sleeper. At the end of a busy day it’s not just the children who are tired. Adults need some time in the evening to recuperate and be adults. If your child is difficult to settle, requires lots of help to get to sleep or uses delay tactics, the evenings can be fraught and tense. By implementing a stay in bed technique you can easily teach any child to understand what’s expected at bedtime, gain the confidence to stay in bed without a parent sitting beside them, and settle to sleep independently