Peace at Home Blog

How to Get My Child to Sleep Through the Night

September 21, 2025 | Ruth Freeman

If your nights involve late‑night wakeups, long bedtime routines, or a child who just won’t stay in their own bed, you’re not alone. Sleep challenges are incredibly common for children ages 2 to 10—but they don’t have to be your normal.

At Peace At Home Parenting, we help families replace bedtime battles with routines that work and nights filled with real rest. In this post, we’ll cover the most effective, evidence-based strategies for helping your child fall asleep faster, stay asleep longer, and develop healthy sleep habits that last.

Why Sleep Troubles Are So Common for Kids

Night wakings, bedtime resistance, and fear of sleeping alone are part of typical development—but that doesn’t mean you can’t reduce them. Research shows:

• Sleep cycles in young children are short—around 60 minutes—so brief wakings during the night are biologically normal.
• Children ages 2–10 may struggle with fears and worries, like monsters under the bed or anxiety about school.
• Inconsistent routines, screen use before bed, and overstimulation can disrupt natural sleep processes and make sleep quality worse.

How to Get Your Child to Sleep Through the Night

Here are proven, gentle strategies to help your child (and you) get more rest:

🕖 1. Stick to a Predictable Bedtime Routine

Children thrive on routine. A simple sequence (like snack, brush teeth, pajamas, story, lights out) helps cue the brain that it’s time for sleep. Routines should be:

• Short and sweet
• Predictable and consistent
• Ending in the child’s sleep space

💤 2. Practice Good Sleep Hygiene for Kids

Sleep hygiene means creating conditions that support good sleep. For children, that includes:

• A cool, dark, quiet sleep environment
• No screens at least an hour before bed
• Calm, low-light activities in the evening
• Regular bed and wake times—even on weekends

🌛 3. Help Kids Learn to Fall Asleep Alone

Many kids wake during the night and call out because they rely on a parent’s presence to fall asleep. Try:

• The Take a Break method: Sit with your child at bedtime, then take a brief break and return. Increase the break time each night.
• Token reinforcement: Offer small rewards for staying in bed independently.

⏰ 4. Try Bedtime Fading for Kids Who Resist Sleep

If your child fights bedtime or lies awake for long periods, bedtime fading might help:

• Track when they naturally fall asleep
• Shift bedtime closer to that time
• Gradually move it earlier once they fall asleep easily

🧠 5. Address Worries and Nighttime Fears

For children ages 4–10, worries about the dark, monsters, or real-world issues are common. Tools that help:

• Worry Time: Set aside 10–15 minutes during the day to talk about fears. At bedtime, gently remind them it’s time to rest, not worry.
• “Be the Boss of Your Dreams”: Help your child reframe scary dreams with humor and imagination.

Signs Your Child Isn’t Getting Enough Sleep

Watch for:

• Needing to be awakened every morning
• Sleeping 2+ hours longer on weekends
• Falling asleep in school or other settings
• Moodiness after poor sleep nights

Final Thoughts

Helping your child sleep through the night is possible—and it doesn’t require tears, battles, or fancy gadgets. It starts with understanding sleep development, building strong routines, and giving your child the confidence and tools to fall asleep and stay asleep.

Start tonight. Pick one of the strategies above, stick with it, and let the rest return.

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