Ah, bedtime. That sweet, sweet hour when you pack the kiddos off to dreamland and you get some much-needed “me time.” Right? Well, sometimes. Bedtime can also be one of the most stressful times of day. There are a lot of tasks (cleaning up, pajama time, teeth-brushing) packed into an intense period of time, and often when kids know that their dark bedroom awaits, the stalling tactics, whining or worse can crop up, resulting in a battle of wills that is anything but dreamy.
Developing a bedtime ritual is something nearly every baby expert and pediatrician recommends. Children rely on ritual and stability, and it’s a huge comfort to them to repeat the same actions every night before bed.
You can treat this time of day as a series of hurdles to jump over before the big relief or decide to turn bedtime into a series of sweet moments to cherish daily. Here are our favorite ideas for bedtime rituals that everyone in the family will take comfort in.