Now that the clocks have gone back, there can be no denying that winter is on the way.
But instead of bemoaning the fact, why not make the most of it and get the bedtime routine in order during Worlds Apart Ready For Bed Week!
With around 7 out of 10 parents¹ admitting their bedtime routine is less than perfect, this dedicated week offers the chance to get bedtime back on track.
Ready for Bed Week has been initiated by Worlds Apart, to encourage parents to take advantage of the dark evenings and make the time to focus on establishing a good routine. It also aims to help support the international charity Sleeping Children Around the World (www.scaw.org) which was set up to provide bed kits for children in underdeveloped and developing countries, who are not fortunate enough to have a comfy place to sleep.
There are some useful tips and links plus a downloadable Ready for Bed Week reward chart on the website www.readyforbedweek.com. For every 100 unique downloads of the chart during Ready for Bed Week (26th October – 1st November), Worlds Apart will fund a bed kit from SCAW so it’s hoping as many families as possible will get involved.
The reward chart helps parents record and acknowledge good work and behaviour when it comes to cleaning teeth, tidying toys, settling down in good time and of course, staying in bed until it’s time to get up.
As well as helping those less fortunate, good results will reap copious rewards at home including happy children, easier evenings, and with any luck, extra ‘me-time’ for Mum and Dad.
October 2008
Ready Room Top Tips for helping establish a good bedtime routine:
 Try and build up a routine that leads up to bedtime across an hour, to include bath time, quite play and story time
Make tidying your toys part of the bedtime routine
Switch off the TV / computer games at least half an hour before the bedtime routine begins
Avoid rough and tumble games too close to bedtime
Avoid fizzy/sugary drinks with the tea-time meal
Identify some soothing music that everyone enjoys to play at bedtime so your children quickly understand it’s time for bed
Always make time for a bedtime chat to talk through what has happened during the day
End the routine with a kiss and a cuddle and then leave the room swiftly. Avoid being drawn into further conversation
A Better Bedtime Routine
Look at our Sleepy Heads section | 
Sleep
