The Routine Does the Heavy Lifting
A multinational study from the American Academy of Sleep Medicine found kids under six fell asleep faster and slept longer when their nights followed the same steps, in the same order. It wasn't the bath or the book alone — it was the predictability. Their body learns what's coming, so it can let go.
Try this
Pick Three Steps, Repeat Nightly
Try choosing three small moves — bath, book, lights out — and running them in the same order every night, even on the hard nights. The order matters more than what's on the list.
Let the Routine Be the Boss
Some families find it easier when the routine gets to be the reason it's bedtime, not a parent's patience running out.
But once a step starts slipping — a skipped book, a later bath — is it worth pausing to reset, or letting it ride?
Once a bedtime step starts slipping, what's your move?
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