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GOING TO BED–AND STAYING
THERE!How to Handle the Nightmare of Bedtime
FOR MANY FAMILIES, PUTTING the kids to bed is a daily nightmare.
Although bedtime may technically be nine, at ten thirty the children
are still wandering around the house, asking for drinks, telling you
they heard a noise outside, or going to the bathroom for the twentieth
time. This “routine” may be accompanied by a good deal of arguing,
which only ensures that everyone will stay awake to watch the late
movie together.
With a little thought, this bad end to your evenings can be
eliminated. Your workdays are long enough as it is. Many of our Start
behavior tactics can be used for bedtime. Put these strategies together,
and you have some real and wonderfully helpful routines for
managing going to bed, staying in bed, and nighttime waking. No