03 March 2023 , 12:05
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Putting your toddlers to bed isn't always an easy task, especially when they get a sudden burst of energy when they should be putting their pyjamas on, and you have to struggle to actually get them settled.
But one parenting expert has said there's an easy way to get your little ones to listen to you and calm them down before bed - and it involves putting on a "silly voice".
The expert shared a video online in which she said that the best way to get your children ready for bed is to use the "one warning system".
This means you give your them just one chance to listen to you before you issue an appropriate punishment - such as refusing to read them a bedtime story.
In the video, posted to her @rmsleepingbaby account on TikTok, the woman said: "Is your toddler struggling to go to bed at night? You're not alone. Here's what I want you to do. It's a super quick tip and I promise it will work."
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The woman went on to explain that toddlers can take several hours to wind down and be ready for bed, so it's important to get them on the right track quickly if they start "struggling" when it comes to getting out of the bath or putting their pyjamas on.
She added: "If at any point through the routine, they are struggling with getting out of the bathtub, getting their pyjamas on, picking out a book, whatever it is, if they aren't listening, I want you to do the one warning system.
"Let's say your sweet little kiddo 'Sammy' won't stop running around the room to put his pyjamas on. What I want you to do is, I actually want you to ask, super nicely, 'Sammi, it's time to calm down and put your pyjamas on'.
"And if he thinks it's fun to jump off the bed and be silly, this is super normal but it's time for him to listen, it's time for him to get the pyjamas on."
The parenting expert then said it's a good idea to try and "motivate" your child by engaging with them in a fun and interesting way, such as putting on a silly voice or asking a bizarre question.
She said: "Ask in a silly voice, try to be funny about it. Ask something like 'how do you think a puppy dog gets his pyjamas on?' Whatever you think might be motivating."
And if your child still isn't listening, then you should begin the 'one warning' system - by telling your toddler that if they don't listen to you and stop running around, then they'll "lose story time" for that night.
Next, the expert says you should sit in silence for five seconds to give your child the chance to process what you've said, and if they don't listen, then you follow through with your promise.
"So after that five seconds, if Sammy is still running around and jumping around the room? We say, 'alright Sammy, you've lost story time'," the woman explained.
"And as you can imagine, they are going to be very, very upset about it. And the point is, not to upset them. It's to say, 'hey, I mean business'."
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The parenting expert acknowledged that the first few nights would be "pretty rough", but insisted that children will start to listen after a while as they won't want to miss out on any more bedtime stories.
She continued: "But you're putting your foot down. You're letting them know, you are still being kind about it, you're still being gentle.
"You're going to notice that over the course of nights three and four, if he doesn't want to get out of the bathtub, we ask a couple of times, 'Sammy, this is your one warning to get out of the bathtub, or you're going to lose story time tonight'.
"I promise you, he's going to be getting out of that bathtub. He might not be super happy about it, but he's going to because he knows that you will follow through."
And commenters on the video have praised the expert for her helpful tip, with many saying they can't wait to try it out in the hopes that it will work for their family.
One person said: "Thank you so much. I am going to give my baby storytime more often."