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Bedtime Rituals
Routines Help Babies Slip into Quiet Slumber
By Beth Hering
In order not to stir a baby up after a bath, quiet activities are a good idea – making reading a popular choice. To some parents, it might seem odd to read to a baby. But Dr. Gabrielle Miller, vice president of education and literacy programs at Reading Is Fundamental, stresses otherwise. "Research shows that reading to babies plays an important role in stimulating their language and vocabulary development," Dr. Miller says. "When you read to your baby, not only are you helping to develop the language skills which are the foundation for reading, you are also helping them associate reading with warm, pleasant feelings. During this reading time, babies are using their senses: listening, seeing, touching and making their own sounds, which will eventually become talking. They also begin to understand that pictures represent objects."
Another great reason to read at bedtime? Focusing on the soothing voice of a caretaker can help a child tune out other distractions that may keep him awake.
Just as bathing before bedtime helps establish a healthy routine that will hopefully carry over into later years, so does developing the habit of brushing teeth before turning in for the night. The National Institutes of Health recommends promoting healthy teeth from the time your child is born by cleaning the inside of the mouth with a soft, clean cloth. As teeth come in, a baby toothbrush used gently can be helpful. What hopefully follows is that growing children will continue to make teeth cleaning a natural part of their nightly routine. Unfortunately, a study by the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry reports that one in three children are not brushing before bed, increasing their risk of cavities and other dental problems.
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