Why Parents Need A Bedtime Routine Too
I don’t know about you, but there are some days where I am counting down the hours until I can finally turn my “mom switch” off and take some much needed me time to relax and unwind for the day - especially on those long, harder days where the kids seem to push every button I could possibly have. It’s days like this that I am extremely glad I have a bedtime routine that helps me to wind down and relax after my kids have gone to bed, although it is good to have one regardless of if the day was hard or not.
A good bedtime routine can make all the difference for a parent in every stage of parenthood: from newborn stage to teen years. When we become a parent, that parent switch is constantly on: All. Day. Long. There are times throughout the day where I feel like I can finally sit and relax for a minute and I’m proven wrong almost every single time. I will always need to get up and change a poopy diaper or stop a fight that’s going on or prevent my toddler from throwing toys down the vent, etcetera, etcetera… the list of things I need to do throughout the day goes on and on and I’m sure you can relate to that! When we have a bedtime routine that can help us unwind and relax at the end of the day it can be extremely beneficial to both parent and little one because when we are at our best, our children benefit from that just as much as we do!
When Is Best To Start A Bedtime Routine?
As a parent with a newborn, you may not have much time or energy to do much after your little one goes to bed. Taking a long bath may not be an option for you yet, but even if you can take a quick shower to wash away the spit up and “dirt” of the day it can feel refreshing and can be very useful to you. Once you get a quick shower in, it may be wise and totally understandable to jump in bed early to catch up on some much needed sleep before your little one wakes up for a feed. Remember, it won’t be this way forever and sleep is extremely important and takes precedence over anything else at this point in time. You don’t want sleep deprivation to happen for you, which can cause a whole other array of issues. If you have a sleep trained little one, you more than likely will feel some sense of relief as soon as they go to bed because you know you can look at the baby monitor, watch your little one fall asleep and appreciate that they will be out for the night; which means, you get to finally have some time to yourself to relax and wind down for the night! I will say if there are a few dishes and cleaning to be done, then you can go ahead and do them but after that take time to yourself!
The Bedtime Routine For The Parent
So, what would a bedtime routine for a parent look like then? Does that mean we should be taking a bath, reading a book and having something to drink (following a toilet break), just like our little one’s? Actually - yes!! I know that sounds silly, but these things can actually be very relaxing and soothing to us and can help us to get a better sleep even. I am in no means saying that your bedtime routine must look this way, all I am saying is this is a great starting point and one that can be very beneficial to you. Of course, you are welcome to do whatever you wish for your own bedtime routine, just make sure that it is calming, relaxing and doesn’t require you to do much deep thinking.
Here is an example of what your bedtime routine could look like:
A long, hot bath with some bubbles, Epsom salt and maybe even some essential oils! If you don’t have time for a bath, grab a quick shower to wash the day off of you and feel refreshed.
Do a face routine: wash, put on moisturizer, etc., or have a mini spa at home and give yourself a facial while you catch up on your favourite podcast.
Make yourself a cup of relaxing tea, such as chamomile or mint tea or if you feel like you need something harder you can pour yourself a well-deserved glass of wine.
Take some time to relax and start a series you’ve been itching to on Netflix or just simply watch a movie on there.
If you’re tired, especially if you’re the parent of a newborn or little one who is still waking in the night to feed, then by all means go to bed early and catch up on much-needed sleep! It is so very important that you make sleep a priority over everything else until your little one is older and you can start more a bedtime routine for yourself.
You can always add to this routine or take things out - it’s not set in stone! This is your time and it should consist of things you like to do that are relaxing, calming and help you to wind down. This is just a baseline that you can go off of to create your own bedtime routine that works for you. Do what makes you feel good and is most beneficial to you! One thing is for sure though: a bedtime routine isn’t just for little one’s - it works for parents just as well!
If you liked this blog, please share it with other parents who you think may benefit from it. If you want more free advice like, you would love my Facebook group called Sleep Little One where I give FREE weekly sleep tips and advice to exhausted parents looking to improve their little one’s sleep. I hope you come and join us, we would love to see you there!
If you have a little one who is struggling with bedtime, even with a bedtime routine in place, and you would like to get them on the road to better sleep then you may benefit from an individualized, 1:1 sleep plan that I offer. Check out my packages and contact me to get started!
I hope this helps! Talk soon!
