Tucson International Academy

We Make College Come True

parenting advice

Do You Know About Birth Order and How It Affects Your Personality?

siblings
Where you fall in your birth order may affect your personality

Did you grow up with siblings or as an only child? If you have sisters or brothers, the order of where you fall between them may affect your personality to some degree. This is the birth order theory. Let’s say you were the youngest of 3 kids. To you, your older sister may seem bossy and like a second mom. The middle kid is your brother. He was quiet while at home, off doing his own thing all the time or hanging out with his group of friends outside. You, the youngest, were the comedian of the family. Big sister and brother thought you were spoiled and got away with everything. You felt like they got to have all the fun and do things you weren’t allowed to do, so secretly you tried to get them in trouble with mom when you could.

Many researchers believe that there are common personality traits that carry across firstborn, middle, and lastborn children. To date, studies show that personality traits are indeed similar among people of the same birth order. Similarly, some personality traits are shared with all people no matter what order they were born in. Each child in a family has a unique position. That position often helps determine who they are personally and how they develop within the family.

Traits of Firstborn Children

  • Your firstborn child may tend to show leadership qualities, even from a very early age
  • Firstborns are usually confident, responsible, obedient, and creative
  • They can tend to be bossy
  • Your oldest child may stand out as high-achieving
  • Firstborns usually do really well in environments where they are asked to use their minds and command control of a group
  • The firstborn child is responsible and feels a need to take care of others

Being the first child in a family allows your child plenty of time with you. There are no interruptions from younger siblings. This extra time alone with parents usually results in kids who take care of others. Firstborn children often remain this way as adults in their personal and professional lives.

Traits of Middle Born Children

Your middle children hold a unique place in the family.

  • The middle child may be the family peacekeeper
  • They may be the opposite and become the family rebel
  • A middle child may be quiet at home but often more social and outgoing outside of the home
  • Middle children tend to have strong bonds with friends
  • They may feel left out, unimportant, or not loved

Middle children are born as the second, third, fourth, etc. child of the family. Until a younger sibling arrives, they are considered to be the youngest. The arrival of a younger sibling forces middle children to adjust to being in between an older and younger sibling. These kids may both be receiving (or demanding) more parental attention. If feeling unseen, middle children may negatively behave in ways that will get attention. Parents who give their middle child(ren) personal attention and praise, find that they grow up to do just as well in life as their older sibling.

Traits of The Youngest Child

The last child born into a family has the coveted title of the baby. As a result, they may get the bulk of everyone’s attention. Or the opposite, no attention at all depending on how busy the parents are.

  • The baby usually comes across as fun-loving and outgoing
  • Babies can also be jokesters and have big personalities
  • Growing up in a family as the youngest tends to make the baby more self-centered
  • They may become more attention-seeking than their older siblings
  • Babies may become very good at getting others to do what they want
  • The youngest child in the family is often adventurous

Your baby may decide that they can coast through life if you coddle them too much. You shouldn’t hold out praise. But don’t forget to hold them to a high standard of responsibility.

Only Child Traits

Children who are raised without siblings have the ability to show traits that are similar to firstborns, middle or youngest children, depending on the level of attention from parents.

  • Only children, like firstborns, often get a significant amount of time with their parents
  • They can grow into confident, caring, high-achieving adults
  • On the other hand, if you have unreasonable standards or ignore your only child, they may engage in attention-seeking behavior
  • An only child who is spoiled by you may feel entitled to get their way from others
  • Only children require parenting that encourages them to be social
  • An only child tends to act more like adults, so may not relate well with kids their own age
  • Also, parents need to be responsible and leave room for their only child to be themselves

All Children Are Unique

In conclusion, regardless of birth order, every child is special. They all require love, guidance, and support. As a parent, you know how amazing your child is. Therefore, you’re already doing a good job at helping them become the best version of themselves.

If you want to read more about birth order, here is some more information.

Enroll Today at TIA!

Healthy Eating Habits Equals Healthy Kids

kids cooking with healthy eating habits
Teach your kids healthy eating habits

Did your mom tell you to eat your vegetables in order to grow up healthy and strong when you were little? She was right but there’s a bit more to that idea. For your kids, learning to eat healthy starts at home. Everyone should eat healthy meals as often as possible to ensure they’re getting the nutrients their bodies need to function at their best. Preparing homecooked meals encourages children to eat foods that are unprocessed and that don’t contain unhealthy amounts of sugar, salt, hormones, and other chemicals found in fast food. We’ve included some links below to help you with healthy, easy meal ideas.

Healthy eating habits and meals made at home have benefits for your family that extend beyond nutrition; some of those benefits are:

  • Cooking teaches your children an important life skill
  • Preparing meals at home gives your family more time to spend together
  • Cooking healthy can be a great way for your whole family to get (or stay) in shape
  • Cooking at home is a great way to save money

Healthy Eating & Cooking is a Life Skill

When your child is taught to prepare healthy meals at home, they are learning an important skill that they will need for the rest of their lives. Cooking at home teaches children about planning, patience, and preparation. It also can be a great way to gain math skills (counting, measuring, telling time, following directions). Cooking can also be used to teach important lessons on fire safety and the proper use of kitchen appliances.

What are the Benefits of Family Meals Together?

  • Few things come close to experiencing quality time together as a family in the kitchen and mealtimes at the dinner table.
  • Regular family meals help children gain confidence, improve their conversation skills, and learn good manners.
  • Children who have regular meals at home are also more likely to have better relationships with their parents.
  • Children who eat meals at home are less likely to be obese and more likely to stick to those healthy habits as adults.

Overeating fast food and keeping lots of unhealthy snacks in the home can lead to health problems for the whole family. Changing from meals and snacks that contain high levels of salt, sugar, and unhealthy fats is key and can easily be done at home in the kitchen. Studies have found that in comparison to fast food, even partially homecooked meals are more nutritious. That’s good news!

Saving Money

Another awesome advantage to healthy homecooked meals is that it saves money! Money management is another important skill that children can use for life. This can be done by allowing your child to meal plan and grocery shop with you. These meals can be made as needed or made in bulk and saved for later, which will make future meals easier to get on the table.

Simple Healthy Meal Ideas

Getting started in cooking healthy meals at home with your child doesn’t have to be complicated. Below is a list of easy meals that can be made any night of the week for the family to enjoy.

Fruits, nuts, avocado toast are all healthy choices.
Fruits, nuts, and avocado toast are all healthy choices.

Breakfast Suggestions

  • Overnight Oats
  • Avocado Toast
  • Banana or Blueberry Pancakes with fruit
  • Yogurt Parfait
  • Egg and Vegetable Omelet
  • Fruit and Vegetable Smoothies
  • Sweet Potato Hash browns
  • Simple Scrambled Eggs

Lunch Suggestions

  • Salads (Greek, Caesar, Cobb)
  • Veggie bowls
  • Tacos
  • Grilled Cheese Sandwich with Tomato Soup
  • BLT’s With fruit Salad
  • Chicken Soup
  • Vegetable Chili
Roasted Chicken and Veggies
Roasted Chicken and Veggies

Dinner Suggestions

  • Spaghetti and Meatballs (with veggie noodles)
  • Grilled Chicken Salad
  • Roasted Chicken with vegetables
  • Loaded Baked Potatoes
  • Casseroles
  • Oven-Fried Chicken Breasts with vegetables
  • Turkey or Chicken Meatloaf

Snack Suggestions

  • Greek Yogurt (With or without nuts and fruit)
  • Apples with Peanut Butter
  • Home-popped Popcorn
  • Muffins (Banana nut, Blueberry, Raspberry, etc.)
  • Baked Sweet Potato Fries
  • Trail Mix
  • Kale Chips
  • Hummus with carrots
  • Fruit Smoothies

Here are two links to simple easy-to-make meal ideas: 29 Healthy Meals You Can Make in 10 Minutes or Less and 100+ Quick Healthy Dinners.

Family Time and Cooking Time Can Be the Same

The meals and snacks listed here are all nutritious and easy to make. Use your time cooking at home together to introduce your child to these amazing recipes. Opening your child up to different recipes can improve their health and make them less picky eaters. Taking the time to help your child develop healthy eating habits will put them on the right track to living healthy lives.

 

Enroll at TIA Today!

Childhood Stuttering, What It Is and What to Do About It

Childhood Stuttering, What It Is and What to Do About It
Therapist working with child

Stuttering is a speech problem that interrupts the flow of speech. While doctors don’t know exactly what causes stuttering in children, they believe it can be passed down from generation to generation. It can also be brought on by strong emotions such as fear or surprise, or it can be caused by another speech or language disorder. Stuttering can sometimes make it hard to communicate.

Stuttering can be a normal part of learning to use words, and most children grow out of it as they get more comfortable with their vocabulary and learn the rules of language. However, if it lasts for more than six months, you should ask your child’s doctor about it. Your pediatrician can provide recommendations for testing and speech therapy if needed.

Types of Stuttering

Developmental stutter is the most common. It begins at an early age and sometimes happens when a child is delayed and is having trouble making a connection between what they want to say and how to say it.

Neurogenic (nervous system) stutter happens because of brain trauma. This can be a brain injury due to an accident or something like a stroke. When brain trauma happens, the brain has trouble sending signals to the muscles and nerves that are needed to communicate.

Psychogenic (emotional conflict or stress) stutter is caused by emotional trauma or by thinking and reasoning problems in a child.

What Are the Symptoms of Stuttering in Children?

Every child is different and may have stuttering that happens along with normal development of speech and language habits. Symptoms can include:

  • Slowed speech with pauses
  • Stopped or blocked speech — when they try to speak but nothing comes out
  • Nervous talking, being out of breath, fast blinking, trembling or shaking
  • Repeating syllables, words, or sounds, for example, “H-h-h-hello”
  • Using “um” or “like” a lot while speaking
  • Increased stuttering when tired, emotional, or stressed

Possible Complications of Stuttering in Children

Children who are aware of their stutter are often worried about what others think of them. When they are worried about how people will treat them, they may not participate in activities or classes as much as other children. This can lead to poor performance in school. Children with a stutter can have lower self-esteem and social awkwardness as well.

How Parents Can Help

Patience is key. Give your child time to talk — don’t interrupt them or tell them to slow down. Teach your child by modeling better speech habits, such as:

  • Slowing your own speech
  • Pausing between sentences and speaking in a relaxed way
  • Using techniques to reduce pressure in situations where your child must speak
  • Rephrasing questions as comments

The best thing to do is talk about it with your child if they are aware of their stuttering. Let them know it is okay that they speak differently. If your child is not aware of it, there is no need to point it out and make them worry about it until you feel it is the right time to get professional help for them.

Be sure to encourage your child to talk to you and pay attention to them while they speak, too. Additionally, talk to your child’s teachers and other adults in their lives about your child’s situation.

Treatment for Stuttering

Early treatment is important to reduce or eliminate stuttering in children. After age 7, it becomes more about managing the stuttering than eliminating it:

  • Direct treatment is when a speech-language pathologist works with your child, alone or in small groups. During this time, your child is taught strategies for easing into words and reducing tension during a stuttering episode. Your child will learn to become more aware of the difference between smooth and bumpy or stuttered speech.
  • Indirect treatment is when a speech-language pathologist works with caregivers to modify their speech to model to their children. This is a very effective approach for the reduction of stuttering.

If you think your child is having speech difficulties, don’t be afraid to ask your pediatrician. Before your appointment, write down questions you want to ask and symptoms you have noticed in your child’s verbal habits. Also, note any medications that your child is taking, including vitamins, as well as any allergies they have.

While at your appointment, write things down or ask for written information sheets. There can be a lot of information all at once, and it is ok to ask for things to be repeated so that you can make note of them.

Enroll Today at TIA!

What Are Your Parenting Responsibilities?

What Are Your Parenting Responsibilities?
What Are Your Parenting Responsibilities?

Although it can be frustrating at times, there’s no one “right way” to be a parent. Even if you’re receiving parenting advice left and right — whether it’s from your friends, family, other parents, or the media — you may not know to whom to listen. Unfortunately, this can even lead parents to compare themselves to others and doubt their own parenting capabilities. However, the resulting feelings of guilt aren’t going to make it any easier to be a good parent.

The next time you’re feeling overwhelmed by the conflicting feedback, it’s important to sit back and remind yourself of what are and aren’t your responsibilities are as a parent. There’s a solid chance that you’re doing far better as a parent than you’ve been letting yourself believe.

What Parents Aren’t Responsible For

As your child’s parent, not everything is in your control — and that’s okay. Here are a few things that you aren’t responsible for, purely because you’re a parent.

Controlling Everything Your Child Says or Does

Always remember that your child is their own person, and they’re not a puppet you’re responsible for controlling. Especially if it’s taking place when they’re not under your supervision, there’s no way you can control all of your child’s behaviors. At the end of the day, your child’s free will is going to determine what they do and don’t do.

For example, you can’t force a child to do their homework when they adamantly refuse. Although you can try as hard as you can to motivate them, you can’t make your child do work against their will.

However, you can provide reasonable consequences for your child’s poor grades. You can stay in touch with their teachers. You can even set aside daily study time and monitor your child’s homework process. But ultimately, you can’t control their actions.

Earning Other People’s Approval

You shouldn’t always look to other parents or adults to approve of your parenting choices. While other adults can offer valuable advice, you don’t need to let every piece of unsolicited feedback weigh down on you. It’s crucial that you avoid treating parenting like a popularity contest. Besides, there’s no such thing as the “best” parent in your community. Everyone has a unique style and approach to parenting, and everyone’s children have unique needs.

What Parents Are Responsible For

Of course, there are also aspects of your parenting that are within your control. Here are a few examples.

Helping Your Child Independently Function

As a parent, you should be teaching your child age-appropriate skills that they can use to function independently. Over time, you should be helping your child to become more and more independent.

Early on in life, this could include skills like tying their shoelaces, writing their own name, emotionally soothing themselves, and learning to cope with teasing. Later, your child will need to develop independent skills such as driving, filling out a job application, and so on. Your child’s level of responsibility will increase as they age, and this should be reflected in your approach to parenting.

Doing Your Best

All in all, there’s only so much that is within a parent’s control — even when it feels like you need to manage everything about your child and how they’re developing.

There’s an inherent balancing act involved in being a parent. You need to split the difference between doing too little and doing too much for your child. It’s also important to find the balance between giving your child too many repercussions for poor behavior and not enough consequences.

Every Child and Family Situation is Unique

Don’t forget that you know your child better than any of the other parents offering you advice. Every child is unique, and your parenting style should adapt to best suit their needs. As the expert on your own kid, it’s up to you to make decisions that best allow them to become accountable and independent. All you can do is your best, so try not to beat yourself up too hard. Any parent has room to develop and grow, but chances are, you’re doing great.

Enroll Today at TIA!

8 Positive Parenting Tips

family Positive Parenting tips
Positive parenting tips for your family

Many people say that parenting is the most challenging job in the world. It can certainly be challenging to raise children with good values while balancing work, school, and family life. However, it doesn’t have to be impossible—by using these positive parenting tips to become more approachable, you can reduce stress, increase your satisfaction as a parent, and protect the health and wellbeing of your children.

Positive Parenting Tips

Tip 1: Be Patient

One of the most impactful strategies you can use is to be patient with your children. Children are not born into this world knowing how to behave—they will make mistakes. Remember that it takes time to learn and grow. Try not to get frustrated if your child doesn’t follow your instructions the first time. Instead, calmly explain what you want them to do and give them a chance to try again.

Tip 2: Be Positive

It’s important to be positive with your children and to praise them when they do something right. This will help them feel good about themselves and make them more likely to repeat the behavior. Avoid using negative language when speaking to your children and instead use words that will build them up.

Tip 3: Be Engaged

It’s also important to be engaged with your children. Spend time with them and listen to what they have to say. This will help them to feel important and valued. Try to avoid multitasking while you talk to your children, as this can make it difficult for them to open up about their day or problems they may be experiencing.

Tip 4: Be Consistent

When enforcing rules, you should try to be consistent in how you deal with your children. This includes making clear and fair rules for everyone, enforcing them consistently, and ensuring that consequences are also consistent if rules are not followed. This will help to create a sense of order and stability in your household.

Tip 5: Be Flexible

At the same time, it’s important to be flexible with your children. Children need room to learn and grow through their mistakes. Try to understand why they may be acting out and help them to find a solution. This will teach your children that you are willing to work with them instead of just dictating what they should do.

Tip 6: Model Good Behavior

Children need to see their parents behaving in a way they would like to mimic. This includes setting a good example through your behavior and by practicing what you preach. For example, if children see that their parents are constantly shouting at other drivers on the road, they may be more likely to shout at people in their own lives. Being a positive role model will ensure that your children are more likely to follow your rules and be respectful.

Tip 7: Teach Them Positive Values

One of the most important things that parents can do is to teach their children positive values. This includes teaching them how to be kind, helpful, and respectful to others. It’s also important to teach them a general sense of right and wrong, as well as the fact that there are consequences for their actions. You can do this by talking to them about issues as they arise and helping them understand how their decisions impact their lives and others.

Tip 8: Encourage Them

One of the best ways to help your children succeed is to encourage them to strive towards positive goals whether they’re behaving negatively or acting as they should. This includes praising them when they do well and helping them to set realistic goals that they can achieve. Be there to support them when they need it and help them to celebrate their accomplishments.

As you can see, there are many simple ways that you can work toward becoming a better and more approachable parent. Exhibiting these positive parenting tips will help you raise confident, self-respecting, and happy children who will then, in turn, encourage these traits and techniques in those around them.

Enroll Today at TIA!

Help to Manage Childhood Fears: Practical Strategies

Help to Manage Childhood Fears
How can you help your child deal with their fears?

Fears and anxieties are a normal part of childhood. For that reason, not all childhood fears need immediate interventions or treatment—and not all need to be addressed formally. However, if your child is experiencing extreme fear, it may affect their daily life and their ability to interact with their family, friends, teachers, and the world around them.

This situation can be very stressful for all of you. By focusing on a few useful strategies, you can help your child begin to manage their fears, reduce anxiety, and function better at home, in school, and in the community.

The 3 Main Types of Childhood Fears

Overall, there are three main types of fears:
  • Acute fear. This is a short-lived fear that is usually caused by a specific event or experience. For example, if your child experienced a car accident, they may be fearful of being in any car for a short time.
  • Specific fear. This is an irrational fear of a specific object or situation that has posed no immediate danger. For example, your child may be afraid of spiders even if they’ve never been injured by a spider and may remain afraid of spiders for a long time.
  • Social fear. This is a fear of social situations and the other people in them. For example, a child who is afraid to participate in a class or speak in front of people may have a social fear.

Childhood Fears – Management Strategies

If your child’s fears are normal for their age, these strategies may help them manage their response.

Strategy 1: Provide a Safe Environment


One of the most important things you can do for your child is to make sure they feel safe and protected from harm. You can do this by creating a predictable routine. Also by keeping open communication with your child and avoiding being overprotective.

Strategy 2: Help Your Child Understand Their Fear


Another way to help your child manage their fears is to help them understand what they are afraid of. This can be done by talking about fear in an age-appropriate way. You can also help your child to identify the physical symptoms of fear. They might have a racing heart or sweaty palms.

For example, a child who is afraid of spiders may not understand why they’re scared. You can help them to learn about spiders. What do they look like? How can they identify them? Discuss the fact that most spiders are not harmful, but helpful. This may help your child feel more confident around them. It should also help them develop a stronger understanding of how and why spiders won’t hurt them in most cases.

Strategy 3: Reinforce Positive Behaviors


When your child displays positive behaviors related to their fear, reinforce them with praise. This will help to increase the chance of those actions being repeated in the future. For example, if your child is afraid of going to school but still attends each day, praise them for their courage and bravery. This will help them feel good about themselves. It will also help them to continue to display courageous behaviors in the future.

Strategy 4: Use Relaxation Techniques


One way to help your child manage their fear is to use relaxation techniques. These can be simple exercises, such as deep breathing. This can help to calm their mind and body. For example, your child who is afraid of spiders may be helped by visualization exercises in which they imagine a safe and comfortable place. This can help them to feel more relaxed around spiders and reduce their fear.

Strategy 5: Seek professional help


If your child’s fears are affecting their ability to function in everyday life, it may be time to seek professional help. You can call a mental health professional such as a psychologist. Also, a school counselor could help your child learn to manage their fear. For example, a child who is afraid of social situations may need professional help to learn how to interact with others in a healthy way.

You Can Help Your Child in Many Ways

Overall, most children’s fears are normal and can be managed with some simple strategies. You can position your child for a successful life where their fears no longer control them. If these strategies don’t help your child improve their home or school experience, you should never be ashamed or intimidated to seek professional help. 

 

Enroll Today at TIA!

How Your Childhood Influences Your Parenting Style

What is your parenting style?
What is your parenting style?

Do you remember what it was like to be a child? You may think you have forgotten much of your childhood. You may believe you are making parenting decisions based on your own original ideas on how your children should be raised. However, everyone has been preparing for parenting without knowing it. The major childhood influences from your life growing up will affect your parenting style with your own kids.

What is Your Parenting Style?

Without a doubt, the way in which you were raised will influence how you choose to raise your children, whether or not it is intentional. You have your own values, morals, and opinions about how your children should be raised. But your upbringing could present some biases that are invisible to you. This may influence your parenting style.

Just as we all have our own unique history that shapes how we interact with people, the same is true for the life of parenting.

Expectations on Development and Milestones

Every child develops at a different rate and reaches milestones in their development when they are ready. Sometimes parents have certain expectations on what they think their child should be able to do at a certain age by a certain time based on their own personal development as a child.

For example, a parent might believe their child should be able to walk and talk by the same age they did. These milestones can easily become the barometer for how you judge your child’s development. They may not meet the milestones you expected. It’s important to recognize that each child is different. They will develop at their own rate. Removing this expectation can help you avoid disappointment and frustration for your child.

The Spectrum of Displaying Emotions

Children witness a varying display of emotions from their parents. This can differ from family to family.

For example, you may have been raised by parents who did not cry in front of their children. Now as a parent you do not cry in front of your child. However, the opposite might be true if your parents were very emotionally open with you and had no problem crying or expressing their feelings.

Another example, your parents may have argued or yelled at each other all the time. This was very sad and confusing for you to witness as a child. You decided you would never do this in front of your own kids one day. Now as a parent, you never argue in front of your kids and keep all your frustrations and anger inside. That isn’t healthy for you and your children think everything in your life is perfect when it isn’t. There needs to be a happy medium.

Emotional expression is a spectrum that goes from the extremes of no emotional expression to the other extreme of expressing all emotion and experiences. Everyone falls somewhere in between.

Personal Values Instilled From Your Childhood to Theirs

Every parent has their own set of values that they slowly instill in their children as they grow up. These values help to shape a child’s life and how they view the world.

For example, you may have grown up under parents who stressed the importance of a strong work ethic and saving money to reach financial goals. Because of this, your parents had you get a job when you turned 16. Then they had you open a savings account for college. If this was a positive experience for you, then you may do the same with your children. However, if this was a negative experience for you and you either found it difficult to find a job or if saving money for college was too hard, then you may avoid these same situations with your kids. Values are important to instill in your children. But it is also your job to make sure they are feasible for your child and their unique needs.

As you can see, your childhood and the way you were raised have a big impact on how you choose to parent your child. We are constantly shaping our children’s lives from our upbringing, whether we know it or not. By better understanding these connections and influences from our childhood, your parenting decisions can remove bias and develop a better understanding of their own personal values. Check out this article for more about 4 different parenting styles.

Enroll Today at TIA!

4 Bedtime Mistakes Parents Make

4 Bedtime Mistakes Parents Make
Too much excitement at bedtime makes it hard to get to sleep

Do you ever find yourself dreading your kid’s bedtime? You hope for a picture-perfect sequence where teeth are brushed, pajamas are put on, and they snuggle up ready to fall into dreamland. At times, you may instead experience whining, tantrums, and an overall power struggle to get even the simplest task done. When it comes to your kid’s bedtime, there are a few common mistakes that can greatly impact your ability to achieve the perfect bedtime you’ve been dreaming of. The good news is that these common mistakes are easy to fix!

1. Bedtime Snack Choices

For many households, bedtime snacks are a must. There is nothing wrong with a snack before bed, but there are two main things to keep an eye out for. One is the time. With any food, it should be enjoyed at least an hour before bed. Going to sleep on a full stomach can interrupt sleep, leading to a more restless night. The other thing to watch for is the level of sugar in the snack item. Caffeine is counterproductive when it comes to relaxing your child, and unsuspecting items can include a lot of unnecessary sugar. In general, you’ll want to avoid chocolate, soda, and tea. You’ll instead want to rely on food items that induce tryptophan, which helps initiate sleep. These foods include nuts, soybeans, meats, and dairy, as well as complex carbs.

2. Not Enough Sleep or Stimulation

It is important that kids are able to expel their energy throughout the day. While everyone enjoys a lazy day, this can impact your ability to peacefully get your kids’ bedtime consistent. This pent-up energy can begin to overflow when you truly want relaxation to happen. Not enough sleep can also factor into the success of your kid’s bedtime. In general, the earlier the bedtime, the easier it can be for your child to fall asleep. When your child is overtired, their body will naturally pump out adrenaline, making bedtime a hassle. Nighttime should be about relaxing. When it comes to homework and chores, make sure those are accomplished earlier in the day. This allows your evening to truly be focused on relaxation.

3. The Bedtime Battle

Some nights, it feels as though you must prepare for battle. Your kid’s bedtime should be a send-off, not a standoff. When it comes to a bedtime routine, you do want to be consistent and stay firm to your established rules. How you present your commitment to the routine can make all the difference. When trying to enforce, you may be faced with resistance that can lead to unwanted bedtime drama. While you want to stick to your boundaries, it also helps to allow your child to feel that they are responsible for their own actions. You want to present the situation in a way that they feel decision-making is still on their end. It can help to create a type of reward system. For each successful bedtime, they gain a star, sticker, or small token. In time, these successful achievements could lead to a special treat, such as a movie night or a trip to the zoo.

4. Irregular Routine

Routine truly is key for kids. It may feel easy to read one book one night, then three or four another night. Or maybe one night you allow them to stay up later, etc. While these may seem like small inconsistencies, they are enough to impact the overall success of your routine. It is important to keep things as consistent as possible. Same time of night, same activities, same order. This predictable sequence of events cues your child’s subconscious that it is time to relax and settle into bed.

Your kid’s bedtime doesn’t have to be a hassle! With a few changes, you’ll see that bedtime can be a calm and enjoyable event to end each night. Consistency is key, as well as creating a peaceful experience where your child feels they are making their own decisions. Watching what they eat, and the activities they participate in during the day also helps. It may take some planning and preparation, but once it is a natural routine, it will feel easy. A better night’s sleep leads to a healthier, happier kid who will be able to better perform at school and at home.

Enroll Today at TIA!