Little children thrive on having a routine – they are creatures of habit! Babies love knowing what will happen next. It makes them feel safe and helps them settle into the basics of daily living like eating and sleeping.
If sleep is essential to baby’s growth and routine is an important part of their development, then it naturally follows that a sleep routine must be set. Having a bedtime ritual will not only be good for your baby but will also literally make your life easier! Here are 5 reasons if you’re not yet convinced.
1. Your baby’s quality of sleep will greatly improve
Your baby will learn to associate their bedtime routine with feelings of comfort and security. Bedtime rituals, which often include a warm bath, a story, and cuddle time are great for easing separation anxiety, which is considered one reason why some babies have difficulty falling or remaining asleep. If your baby feels calm and relaxed, they will have a more restful sleep.
Tip: You can also ease separation anxiety with a soothing object like a chenille blanket or a plush toy that your baby can associate with comfort and protection. A musical mobile is also very helpful in lulling your child to sleep and helping them feel a lot calmer.
2. It aids in improving literacy and language development
Yes, simply having a bedtime routine in place helps your baby learn literacy and language skills! For many parents, reading a bedtime story is part of their bedtime ritual. Even though your baby may not understand the words yet, reading to them will help them eventually process the words faster.
Aside from bedtime stories, just talking to your baby as you go from one ritual to another boosts their language development.
3. Maintaining a consistent bedtime pattern results to good behavior!
What does having a bedtime routine have to do with my baby’s behavior? Well, surprisingly, it just might be the secret to having a well-behaved child! This is a science-backed claim – no sorcery here.
Researchers found out that children’s behavior suffered when they have no consistent bedtime habits. They believe this is because they get less sleep, and whatever sleep they got was of lower quality. This interferes with brain development, which affects behavior. The good news, however, is that the effects are reversible! By practicing consistent bedtime rituals, children’s behavior will highly improve.
4. Your family will enjoy quality time together.
If getting your baby to sleep better and longer is the main goal behind having a bedtime routine, it doesn’t hurt to know that it has other outcomes from which you as a family will benefit.
Bedtime rituals are different for every family. It is an intimate activity, which can include your family’s favorites, your personal traditions and beliefs. So having a bedtime routine will strengthen your connection as a family, and your baby will look forward to this special time bonding with you.
5. You will have a peaceful night ahead of you!
Sleep is important… not just for baby but for you, too! Having a bedtime routine takes the stress out of putting a young child to sleep, and we all know how much that means to any mom.
Because having consistent bedtime rituals result to better and longer sleep for the baby, it just means that mommy also gets to sleep better and longer! This will help you be healthier and better at all the awesome things that you do. A well-rested parent is a better parent, right?
Do you follow a consistent sleep routine with your baby? What are your favorite bedtime rituals?