The kids I babysit never go to sleep! What do I do?

Question

Do you have any tricks that I could use to get these two little girls to go to sleep? They usually either come downstairs and tell me they can't sleep and they miss their mommy, or they get SUPER hyper as soon as I tell them its bed time. When they get hyper the two girls fight with each other and start screaming and running around. I just want them to be calm!

I am a teenager, so its not like I'm old and can't handle all the noise, but I just want them to be asleep before their parents come home (they usually are, but it just takes a while for them to sleep, and its usually past their bedtime). And it gives me a headache when they get crazy. They are usually pretty good... until I say it's bedtime.

Answer 1

ok...not positive how to answer considering i am guessing at their ages here...but try some of these:

1) warm milk (yea they may not be babies but it does work most of the time)

2) put in a movie for them & turn off all the lights in the room

3) reading them a book perhaps...

it's been a long time since i've babysat little kids but that usually works...sometimes i even play a boardgame with them til they get bored...but the movie always worked best.  

Answer 2

Well, I'd ask their mom if they are a lot of trouble at bedtime, tell her how they act, and see what she says.  Perhaps you are having so much fun with them that hey are too hyped up to drift off to sleep.

About an hour before bedtime, you should be reading to them, coloring, or maybe drawing--some quiet activity that allows them to wind down...

Also, it is important to follow the same routine they follow with their mom every night...it's probably bath, brush teeth, books then bed.

You could also give them a little incentive to be good--like tell them if they go to bed nicely this time, you will bring a surprise the next time you babysit.

Good luck--some day you will probably have your own little monkeys to care for!  Think of all the experience you will have by then!

Answer 3

this probably won't work for you but it did for me.  i did not tell them

bedtime, but started about an hour before with a light snack, quiet

talking, warm bath, and 6 or 8 books, (read in a soothing quiet voice)

if they still wanted to be rowdy, i would sing.  i then told them that i

would keep singing until they went to sleep.  i always chose quiet

songs, but my voice is bad enough that i am convinced that they

went to sleep just to shut me up.

Answer 4

Wear them out, take them outside and make a game of running laps or playing duck duck goose, then give them a warm bath.

Also ask their Mom what their normal bed time routine is and try to copy it as closely as you can.