Expert nanny shares bedtime hacks to get kids to sleep

A nanny who trained at the world-famous Norland College and for the past 17 years has worked for royal families and many high-profile people across the world has shared her top tips for getting children to sleep by 7pm.

Louenna Hood, who graduated from the same Bath college as Prince William and Kate Middleton's nanny, has developed her own app to help parents and she recently revealed that children under the age of seven should be in bed before 7pm as they sleep deepest before midnight.

If you are a parent or work in a household staff role, then Louenna Hood has shared a host of rules you should consider when putting a child to bed. A regular bedtime routine including a warm bath, a bedtime story and a cuddle for young children is a good idea, while parents and nannies for older children should move their bedtime forward after late nights during the holidays to prepare for school.

Other recommendations include parents or nannies getting up half an hour before the children so that you are awake and ready to start the day, making a list of what needs to be done in the morning and ticking a task off when it is done. You can offer a prize to the children when all the tasks are done.

The nanny says you should set rules around the use of technology so that iPads and TVs are banned from the bedroom and you can even turn the WiFi off overnight, although you should justify this to the child by saying things such as ‘you need to turn off the iPad otherwise you’ll be tired tomorrow’. Instead of using technology before bed, reading a chapter of a book every night with the child is a great way to lessen screen time.

Despite putting rules in place, Louenna says that you shouldn’t be too strict as that can have the opposite effect and make children want something more and she also believes in helping children develop their independence by encouraging them to choose one meal a week.

Other recommendations include getting outside every day with the children as this can boost their mood and she also suggests parents and nannies try and eat together with the children as it can not only help their table manners but can encourage them to try new foods.

Below are all the tips Louenna Hood shared in the article on the Daily Mail website:

·       Set your alarm half an hour before the children wake

·       Create a list so your children know what has to be done in the morning

·       Lay everything your child needs to wear out the night before

·       Get plenty of fresh air every day

·       Set some New Year's resolutions together

·       Set technology rules

·       Choose a book and read a chapter each night together

·       Practice mindfulness with your kids

·       Write down what you’re going to eat for the week ahead and let your children choose one meal each

·       Eat together

·       Be positive about the year ahead

·       Eat a balanced breakfast

·       Set rules and boundaries for the children

·       Take a daily dose of Vitamin D

·       Create a regular bedtime routine

Here at Beauchamp Partners, we are a highly regarded nanny agency and are regularly advertising new jobs in this area. If you are looking to hire a nanny, then get in touch with us.

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