I saw the cover of a magazine the other week and had a little laugh to myself. One of the articles on the front cover was “10 Tips to Being a Happy Mom”. Ten? Really?
I argue that there is only one big secret to being a happy mom.
Sleep.
At least for me, no matter what happens in my day, or how badly plans are not coming together, the only ‘glue’ that keeps me rocking motherhood is a good night’s sleep!

And for me to get the sleep that I need (and so desperately want some nights), then our daughters need to get their sleep. Getting kids to sleep is a big challenge for many parents and we are no exception. I have to admit that my husband is better at bedtime routines than I am. I crumble like a cookie when our oldest calls me in to the room because I love to feel needed. My husband does a great job at helping her to learn to fall asleep on our own.
Some things we do to make bedtime a little easier are:
Countdowns
Our daughter functions best when she knows what is coming and when. We give her a combination of 30 minute, 15 minute, 10 Minute, 5 minute, 2 minute and 1 minute warnings. We don’t do all of them, just a couple, but she does know when it is coming and by the time we say it is time to go upstairs, she is ready. Some times she even decides to head up before the countdown is over.
Expectations
Usually after dinner we talk about what we are doing that night so she knows what to expect and she knows what she can pack in before her night comes to an end. This way she has no false hopes that she can cram 5 hours of fun in to one hour before bedtime and she is not disappointed when she can’t do everything that she wants to.
These two tips help us get her to her room and ready for bed. Getting her to fall asleep on her own is hit and miss in our household and I am always open to hearing about what works for others.
Do you have any tips that really work(ed) for you? I’d love to hear them.
Sheri publishes, and writes at This Bird’s Day where she shares all of the thoughts in her head without the voices. Sticking mainly with content for Canadians, Sheri shares family stories, product information and anything that fits into her (and her family’s) daily activities.