Sleep issues are common with pre-school and school-age kids. For parents, those issues could sometimes seem extremely difficult in terms of coming up with solutions. One strategy called bedtime pass could be a simple and effective way to address children having a hard time staying in their bedroom at night. Also, it has been shown to be effective for children who are diagnosed with autism.

The bedtime pass is just like how it sounds. A 5×7 card is given to the child and the child can use the pass to get out of bed for any reason. It can be used to get a hug from the parents, grab something to drink, a bedroom visit. If the child is again out of the room once they have used the pass, the parent will neutrally guide the child back to their room. For most children, they will save the bedtime pass for later and then falling asleep. However, if your child is having a cold or discomfort that requires frequent visits throughout the night, the strategy should be postponed. 

Let’s take a look at this strategy step by step:

• Provide a bedtime pass (a special card) and the card can be used by the child for many reasons (e.g., get a drink, a visit from parents, a hug from parents).
• Send your child to bed and make sure the bedtime pass is near the child (e.g., next to the pillow, in their hands).
• The card will be taken once the child used the bedtime pass that night.
• If children get out of the room after using the pass, parents will neutrally guide their children back to the bedroom.

Many times, during the first couple of nights, children will try to visit a couple more times to see if you are serious about the rules. After a few nights, they will hold on to the pass and make sure to use it when necessary.

We can also address sleeping problems on the front end, there are many bedtime routines shown to be effective in helping children stay in bed and sleep through the night. We will discuss those strategies next week. You can find other strategies on our Facebook page.