Natural Sleep Remedies For Kids

These natural sleep remedies for kids made our little night owl immediately start sleeping 11 hours a night.  Life is good again!



From the time Graydon was an infant, he wanted to rule the roost.  He insisted on wailing loud enough to shake the walls when he was hungry, sleepy, wanting to be picked up or when he was plotting to control the world.

His favorite thing to do as an infant?  Stay up until the wee hours of the morning, then start his day at 6 a.m.  This didn't make him very popular at our house.  It didn't make any of us very popular, because we were a bunch of tired, grouchy crabs.

We tried everything under the sun.  Although, we're not fans of medications, we even tried the benadryl that the doctor suggested.  Nothing.

This went on for over 2 years.  Once in a while, Graydon would sleep 5 or 6 hours, so we would think we were onto something.  The next night...up til 2 am. 

The search for natural sleep remedies for kids was on

Of course, we thought that keeping him up late would make him sleep all night and late into the morning.  BIG MISTAKE!  We did this for weeks, until we finally figured out it wasn't looking like a very good idea.  In fact, it totally blew up in our faces.

Instead of "sleeping like a baby", Graydon seemed to be having his own all night parties.  None of us felt like partying...

I felt guilty, because even though I loved this child, I was getting SO frustrated that I didn't know what to do.  I'm not much of a cryer, but crying turned into something I did every night.

Then, my mom came to visit...

Her advice changed everything!

 She explained that you NEVER try to keep a child up late, so that they'll sleep more.  This makes them so overtired that they just can't settle down.

Well, that certainly made sense.  After all, I've always had trouble going to sleep when I was overtired.

She also said that this will make them more likely to wake up during the night.  Sometimes they'll stay up for hours.  Then, when they finally go back to sleep, TA DA!  They're up for the day 2 hours later!

This sounded just like my life!

This precious lady told me to do the same routine every night and get him in the bed early.  She guaranteed this would work.

When did my mom get so smart?  She knew more about natural sleep remedies for kids than anybody else who had tried to help!

Graydon now sleeps from 8pm until 7am.  Every. Single. Night.

I'm sane again!  I love life again!  I'm not going to lose my mind!  I don't cry anymore!  Happy!  Happy!  Happy!

What we do

  • Bath time is immediately after supper.  Graydon gets bathed with this fantastic lavender soap bar.  Then, he's allowed to play in the tub for a little while.  He doesn't realize it, but while he's playing, the lavender is settling his system down and getting him ready for a great night's sleep.
  • By 7:30, PJ's are on, teeth are brushed and his bed is turned down. 
  • I put essential oils that are popular natural sleep remedies for kids in a diffuser in his room.  These oils are diffused for about 30 minutes before he goes in his room to sleep.  That way, the air is filled with the wonderful oils that are going to make him sleep like a hibernating bear.
  • I turn on a dim night light and a small fan for some soft white noise.  The white noise drowns out disturbing noises that can keep him from going to sleep.
  • We then sit on the couch together, in the living room.  No television.  No distractions.  He gets to choose a book to have read to him.  While he's choosing, I massage lavender and lemon essential oils on his feet.
  • Then, we read the story. It's always a calm story, never anything that's going to get him excited. Mickey Mouse is his favorite.  After that, we quietly walk to the bedroom and he gets in the bed. 
  • After his prayers are said, he snuggles with a few of his stuffed animals.  I give him a good night kiss and promise to come back and check on him in a few minutes.
  • I never shut his door.  The fan drowns out excess noise, so leaving the door open makes him feel more secure.  After all, I don't think any child benefits by being shut in a dark room to go to sleep.  That's when "monsters" can terrify a child.
  • By the time I go back and check on him, which is usually about 8pm.  He's out like a light and we don't hear a peep out of him until morning.

Natural sleep remedies for kids?  Or just common sense?  Who cares?


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