Does your child do battle with you every night it's time for him to go to bed? Here's help.
Every night when it was time for Mridula to put 2 year old Vishal to bed, the battle would begin.
"Vishal, it's eight o' clock. Time for bed sweetheart!"
"NO!" Vishal screams.
"Yes. Put away your toys and get ready for your bath. Do it now! I'm
counting to 3, and if you don't stop playing, I'm coming to get you,
and I will be very angry!"
"NO! NO! NO!" Vishal keeps screaming. He runs to his mother before she
finishes counting to 3 and demands to stay awake a little longer.
Mridula picks him up, screaming and kicking, pins him down with the
help of Savita, and forces him into the tub, where she bathes him as he
sobs heartbreakingly. She then changes him into his pyjamas and lays
him down on the bed. He is still crying when she turns off the light
and walks off, feeling incredibly guilty, her heart going out to her
crying baby. But she has to discipline him, doesn't she? Vishal has to
be in bed every night
by eight, and only if he is firm will he listne to her. But he seems to
have a mind of his own. At two, he's already getting out of hand! What
is she going to do with him when he grows a little older, Mridula
wonders in despair.
Yes, it is true that children must be taught discipline, but at the same time
parents need to stop expecting children to jump to attention everytime
they snap their fingers. Children are individual persons, and they
start asserting their individuality at a very young age. Parents would
do well to remember this, and start respecting their individuality and
independence if they want to raise confident kids. How would you like
it if you were watching your favourite television programme and your
spouse came and turned off the television and said it was time for bed, whether you liked it or not?
Learn to stop commanding your children and give them some leeway. Give
them fifteen minutes to half an hour to wind up what they are doing.
Remind them that it is going to be time for bed in a short while, so they should finish off what they are doing. Keep reminding them gently that it is going to be time for bed. Tell your daughter that you will let her play with her doll for five more minutes, and then will she be ready to go to bed? She will answer yes, and then will not be as aggressive when it is bedtime.
Give your child choices. Ask her to choose whether she wants to wear
the pink nightdress or the green pyjamas. Ask her to choose which toy
she wants to sleep with tonight.
Getting both parents involved also helps. Let daddy give her a bath at night,
while you dry her up and help her change into her nightdress. Just a
little thoughtfulness and seeing things from the eyes of your child
will go a long way in making her a secure, confident adult, and will
make bedtimes less of a battletime!
Name:
Jyothi
Country: USA
this is excellent article.
Name:
Seema
Country: Canada
i find that having everything ready to go really helps. this should include a clean supply of diapers including rubber pants, diaper pins, and baby powder, along with a change of pyjamas if your child wears them. in my home i keep at least a dozen folded cloth diapers stacked ontop of the baby dresser. next to the diapers are extra changes of rubber panties, diaper pins, and baby powder. having everything ready to go and close at hand makes for a speedy bedtime change time routine keeping fussing down to a minimum.
Name:
sravani
Country: India
i liked
Name:
sheetal
Country: India
i like this artical
Name:
Frankie
Country: canada
i am incontinent, and i find that wearing pull-on cloth diapers, with an additional small terry-cloth towel liner, and rubber (not plastic) pants, available from health supply stores, works very well to keep the bed dry.
regarding laundering, i placed both diapers and rubber pants in the tub when i shower each morning. this provides a thorough rinse. i do laundry about every 4 days, preceeded by a short rinse with bleach. the result is clean diapers with no odour. i hand wash the rubber pants.
Name:
Talya
Country: Canada
although my children have been out of diapers for a few years now, i too stacked the flannelette diapers and rubber pants on top of the baby's dresser along with all the added necessities such as diaper pins, powder, and diaper rash ointment. it was really handy having all the baby's diapering needs ready at hand and out in plain view. even now i find many mothers doing the same thing in their homes especially if they are using cloth diapers.
