Establishing Bedtime Routine and Helping Your Child Fall Asleep

Learning to fall asleep alone is an important skill for kids. Some children cry, call out, or leave their bed at night because they need help learning how to sleep on their own. Here’s a simple plan to help your child feel safe and confident at bedtime.

Create a Bedtime Routine

A calm, predictable routine helps kids know when it’s time to sleep. Each night, do the same steps in the same order. Before tucking them in, make sure they:

• Go to the bathroom
• Get a small sip of water
• Have hugs, kisses, and bedtime snuggles

Meeting these needs before bedtime helps them stay in bed without needing extra trips out.

Set Clear Rules

Tell your child what bedtime should look like:

• “At bedtime, we stay in our bed and rest.”
• “If you stay in bed, I will come check on you.”

Keep the rules simple and positive. Avoid long discussions—be calm and firm.

Use Check-Ins to Build Independence

If your child struggles with sleeping alone, gradual check-ins help them feel safe without needing you in the room.

How to do it:

• Say goodnight and leave the room.
• Wait two minutes. If your child is quiet and in bed, return briefly (no more than 30 seconds) and say something positive:
• “Great job staying in bed! I’ll check again soon.”

Each time, wait a little longer before checking in (5 minutes, then 10 minutes, etc.).

• If they call out or cry, keep your response short and calm:
• “It’s bedtime. I’ll check on you soon.”
• Then leave the room again.

If they fall asleep before the next check-in, just let them sleep.

Be Patient and Consistent

At first, your child may test the rules. That’s normal! Stick with the plan, and soon they will:

• Feel safe knowing you will check on them
• Learn they can fall asleep without you
• Get better at sleeping on their own

Most kids adjust within one to two weeks. If your child has a setback (like an illness or vacation), restart the process with patience and encouragement.

Helping kids fall asleep alone takes time and consistency, but it’s worth it. With a calm routine, clear expectations, and gentle check-ins, your child will gain confidence and sleep more peacefully. And when they sleep better, so do you!

If you are looking for more tips around positive parenting, Nationwide Children’s Hospital offers free Positive Parenting Program (Triple P) support on a wide variety of topics for parents of young children. For more information, email TripleP@NationwideChildrens.org or call (614) 355-8099.