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| Children and Sleep Problems |  - Sleep-Onset Association
Most of us wake up briefly many times during the night. It happens during the stage of sleep when we have our dreams. It is known as rapid eye movement (REM) sleep. As a rule, after awakenings we return to sleep quickly.
Children may cry when they wake up. In order to help their child, most parents feed him or her, rock, hold or lie down with their child. Such actions may make children unable to fall asleep on their own.
They depend on their parents’ help instead of learning to fall asleep themselves. The child learns to associate going to sleep with a person or activity. If it is so, your child may have a problem with sleep-onset association.
Such children are unable to fall asleep without rocking or something like this.
- Limit-Setting Problems
These problems usually appear after the age of two. It happens when child refuses to go to bed. Limit-setting problems can occur at bedtime, nap time, or when your child awakens at night.
Parents should remember that they are the ones who decide when it is the time to go to bed. They should force their child to go to bed even if he or she disagrees. Children become very creative when they want to stay up later.
They may ask you for one more story, one more hug, a glass of water or something like that. It is actually very hard to know what is real and what is simply a delay tactic.
You should be firm and consistent when you react to the delays. Parents need to establish well-defined limits for their child.
Tips to Help Your Child Sleep Better
- Establish a consistent bedtime routine. Give 10 to 30 minutes to your child to prepare for a bedtime.
- Don’t let your child watch TV, play computer games just before the bedtime. It is better to interact with your child.
- Don’t allow your child to consume foods and drinks with caffeine, including chocolate and sodas. Avoid medications that contain stimulants.
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