When school's in session, you know a good night's sleep is more important than ever — but try telling that to your kids! We asked real moms to share their best get-'em-to-bed-and-get-'em-to-stay-there strategies. Some of our favorites:
Routine, routine, routine! Every night our kids wash up, put on their PJs, pick out their clothes for the next day and then get a story, in that order. They know what to expect, and children really seem to love that.
Our three-year-old son likes to take a sippy cup of water to bed with him. If he gets up, then we take away his water. He responds to "choices and consequences."
We always read together for 30 minutes before bed. Now that the kids are older, they read to me most of the time.
Every night, my daughter and I sing "Blue Skies" together — I've been singing it to her since she was a baby!
My daughter is allowed to stay up and look through a book or play with her stuffed animals, but she has to stay in bed. Usually she's out like a light within a minute or two.