As bedtime approaches, prepare your child for sleep by dimming the lights and discouraging stimulating activities e.g. TV. Encourage your child to enjoy calming activities such as reading stories or colouring. You may like to practice some relaxation exercises or simple yoga stretches with them.

If there is a deep resistance to bedtime and sleep, have a chat with your child and find out what the underlying problem is e.g. a fear of being alone, scared of the dark, loneliness etc.

A night light will help alleviate fear of being alone in the dark as well as bring a touch of magic to bedtime. Let them choose a toy and favourite story. Sprinkle invisible fairy dust in the air or draw a circle of protection around them. Allow time for children to ease away their fear and worry. Stroke your child’s face or palms; circling their palm in a clockwise direction with your thumb is calming. A drop of lavender on a tissue near the pillow will help prepare them for a good nights sleep. After their kiss and cuddle goodnight, say a mantra such as goodnight or sleep tight hope the bed bugs don’t bite. Dim the lights so they know it really is time for bed and sleep.

Useful resources:

* Use Bad Dream Sprinkles as natural remedy to comfort night terrors
* Visit Relax Kids for loads of resources including CDs

It seems harmless enough, lying down with your child while he goes to sleep, but it could be that sleeping by himself at night is one of his biggest steps towards independence. Also, getting time to yourself in the evening means you’ll be on top form when it all starts again tomorrow! An unbroken night’s sleep is crucial to your child’s development and staying tucked up in bed all night could make a clingy child less dependent in the daytime, too.