How to get kids to go to sleep when they absolutely don't want to?

Question

I'm baby sitting 3 kids, the ages are 5, 9, and 11. The youngest one was a night mare when I told him he had to go to bed. He was crying, yelling and screaming, asking that he wanted his mom, talking back. I didn't know what I could do to get him to bed. It took me an hour to get him to calm down. I'm baby sitting these kids tomorrow night and I need help to get him to bed on time. How can I do this?

Thanks

Answer 1

Talk with the parents first, ask how they would like you to handle it. They may not be OK with this, but I like the Supernanny approach.

1. Give warning- bedtime in 5 minutes

2. Then 2 min

3. Do regular bedtime routine, toothbrusing, song, story, whatever

4. Say night-night, turn out light and leave quickly

5. If they get up, remind them, night-night, put them back in bed, dont' say anything else. Dont' turn on lights

6. If they get up again, no talking, do not engage in anyway, just put them back in bed.

Repeat #6 over and over until they're down. Good luck. It's hard, but you should only have to do this for one night, maybe two.

Answer 2

Just make them be quiet and lay down. Most kids get really hyper when they are the most tired. It's their way of trying to stay awake. You might just sit in the room with them to make sure they stay quiet and then they'll have no choice but to "pass out". Good Luck!!!

Answer 3

Make sure they calm down about an hour before their bedtime. It's not good if they're up, running around, drinking soda, ect. Sit down and watch a movie. Tell them when it's time to go to bed, it's time. No if, and's, or butt's. Have a contest to see who can get ready for bed the fastest. The reward could be a cheap prize like a barbie, book, ect. That might get them to bed. As for the youngest, try comforting him. Tell him that everything going to be all right, and you won't let anything happen to him. Take him to his room and sit in there until he falls asleep.

Good luck!!

Answer 4

ok  

if  they  live  in a house  take   them  out side  the backyard  and  play  a  game  w/  them  .  soccer,   baseball,   ext...  make   them  expend  energy . by  the  end  of  the  night  they  will  be  soooo  tire . hope   i help.

Answer 5

Do the dad and mom have a nightly bedtime ritual, (snack, bedtime story, prayers, etc)?  You should try to follow whatever bedtime habits the children are used to.  If not, let them know ahead of time when there bedtime is and a few minutes before, get them into their jammies and then brush their teeth.  Escort them to their beds, tuck them in and say "good night".

The youngest one sounds like he was either overly tired or was mad at being the first one to have to go to bed.

All you can do is your best effort.  If they won't go to sleep or stay in their room, that's their parents' problem when they come home.

Good luck..

Answer 6

Try setting an alarm, and tell them when the alarm goes off, it's time for bed and that they need to go to bed as soon as the alarm goes off. Let the boy that cries carry it around or set it. Good luck.

Answer 7

i watch my little cousin and he just turned 5. he didn't want to go to bed at all one time when i watched him. i asked him why, and he said that it's boring. so i told him "When you dont get to bed early enough, you don't get the good dreams, but if you go to bed now, you're gonna get the fun and exciting dreams."  so you could probably tell the youngest that. and it was hard getting my cousin to bed to, i offered to be in his room until he fell asleep.  good luck tomorrow night

Answer 8

At that age, they know numbers, and two of them can actually tell time. Stand them in front of their mother, and ask her exactly when she wants them in bed. Then, stick to it. You aren't there to fight them, you are there to take care of them and do what their MOTHER wants! Then, when it's bedtime, remind the little one what his mother said, and send him to bed. If he wants to kick and scream, let him do it in his bed.

Answer 9

You absolutely don't budge!!  I set a timer for about 10-20 minutes (depends on how much time before their scheduled bedtime) and tell my son that when it goes "beep, beep it's time to go night, night."  I have him repeat it to me.  My son is 3 and this works very well for him, as well as my older son 10.

When the timer goes off, no matter what, it's bedtime.

My youngest still throws fits, but you just put them to bed and shut the door.  Don't let them stall and keep getting up to go to the bathroom, or get drinks of water.  If it's bathroom, then let them go, but stand at the door to hurry them up, and say no to any drinks.

You just have to show them that you're not going to give in.

It will take time, and a consistent effort on your part.

Answer 10

The easiest way I find kids to go to sleep  when I babysit is when they start crying... tell them that mommy or daddy will be back sooner when they go to sleep.

Answer 11

dont just say bedtime,give them like a warning like its bedtime in 5mins you know dont be harse,do bedtime story ask them what book they like,but if they dont listen dont read once they settle then read it and if this takes an hour be patient after all babysitting means looking after someone elses children not been a piece of cake,if the mom has a routine though you should stick with the routine she has,yelling wont help,stay calm if they see they getting a reaction to been naughty they ll just carry on :-)