How do I get my 6 year old to go to sleep before I do?

Question

My daughter is very active during the day and hasn't napped since she was about 18 months old. She started with the "I'm not tired" bit about 4 or 5 months ago and now I can't get her to relax enough to fall asleep before 10:30.

I will not medicate her to answer the sarcastic answer someone gave.

Tonight I'm going to try warm milk after her bath but everything I've tried (trust me, I've tried alot) hasn't worked enough for her to relax and fall asleep. I would be happy if she was asleep by 9:00! She's up at about 7:30 every morning.

Answer 1

you're the adult . . you have to lay down the law . . . say what you mean and stick to it . . . your child doesn't go to sleep because you don't make him/her . . .

Answer 2

What is she doing while up that late? If it's watching TV or on the computer, that could be the problem. It's over stimulating and keeps her up.

My seven year old was the same way when he was 6. A complete night owl.


When she comes home from school, your routine should be:
Light snack, homework, maybe 1/2 hour of TV, game, outside play, etc, then let her help prepare dinner. Have her be responsible for cleaning her room and help with some other chore around the house. Shortly before bed, do calming things: read a book, taking a bath, listening to music. Set her bedtime (give her a clock) and stick to it (sleepy or not). Over time she'll get used to the schedule and fall asleep this time on her own.

Answer 3

Well, more info would be nice. I can't imagine my 6 year old staying up later than me, she is so dog tired after a long day at school she is asleep before I close her door, practically. Is your 6 year old sleeping too late in the morning, taking a nap, or is he/she just a night owl? I guess if they are just a night owl, you can put them to bed at a reasonable time and if they lay there away, what harm does it do?

Answer 4

I had the same problem just getting my son to stay in bed, let alone sleep. I started a new routine with him & it seems to work. We read a story once he's in bed. He gets 3 "get out of bed free" tickets. If he gets out of bed, he has to give me a ticket. If he runs out of tickets & gets out of bed again, there is a privilege taken away the next day. Since we've started this, he hasn't used more than 2 tickets before falling asleep.

Answer 5

Cut out any naps in the afternoon. Make sure the diet allows no sugar after 3:00 p.m. and keep things quieter and low-keyed toward the end of the day.

Answer 6

make sure he does not nap and hads lots of outside play. then you need to start a night time routine. ans stick to it. make bed time eg like 8:00 and before that have a bath snack story and then it is in bed and lights out. he will soon pick up on it may take a week or two. best of luck and you need to stick with it even on weekends

Answer 7

first think like they do. If you have all kinds of things for him to do through out the day and snaller nap time then your little one will sleep longer. just don't start doing soming that might hold his attention before bed time. Because if you do you're doomed to him being up just to see what is happening.

Answer 8

Take him/her to the park and let him run him/her self ragged, then an hour before you want him/her to go to bed let them watch a movie to get them settled down, and then make them go lay down in bed no matter if they cry or what. NO NAPS DURING THE DAY.

Answer 9

Make a routine for her make sure you put her to bed about an hour before you want to go to bed EVERYDAY. You have to keep the routine if you want him/her to actually fall asleep

Answer 10

Put him in bed, and read a story to him or put a tape in a cassette player, with soft calming music . start his bedtime early so that by the time you go to bed hes asleep.

Answer 11

MY SEVEN YEAR OLD WAS THEN SAME WAY. THE DOCTOR TOLD US TO STOP SNACK BY 1 TO 2 HOURS. ALSO ME PUT A RADIO IN HIS ROOM TO HELP RELAX HIM. HE IS NOW 7 AND GETS UP AT 6AM FOR SCHOOL. HE GOES TO BED AT 8PM AND ONCE HE CLIMBS INTO BED HE'S OUT LIKE A LIGHT. HOPE THIS HELPS.