The most important thing you can do is to set a routine and stick to it — even on weekends and holidays. If your child goes to bed at 9:30 p.m. on Saturday, you probably won’t be able to get them to bed at 7 p.m. on Sunday. Setting a consistent wake-up time also helps your child get sleepy around the same time each night.

To avoid all the bedtime stress crashing down at once, start thinking about bedtime several hours ahead of time. Let your child know far in advance what time you will expect them to start getting ready for bed, and give them plenty of reminders. This will help them transition more easily from playtime to getting ready for bed.

If possible, give your child lots of opportunities to wear themselves out during the afternoon. Go for a bike ride as a family, run around in the yard or take your kids to a park. However, exercise right before bed can make kids too energetic to sleep, so encourage calmer play after dinner.

You’ve heard it before, and it’s still true — turn off the screens before bedtime. The blue light from screens interferes with the production of melatonin, the hormone that makes people sleepy. Try to keep the screens off for at least two hours before it’s time to sleep.

Other ways to signal to your child that it’s time to start winding down include turning off more lights in the house and having other members of the family start getting ready for bed. This sets a relaxing atmosphere that will help your child become sleepy.

If you have other parenting questions, call or text Help Me Grow Utah at 801-691-5322. This free helpline connects you to a parent support specialist who can provide personalized support to your family — so you can sleep easy every night.

Avery Stonely is the EveryDay Learners operations coordinator at United Way of Utah County.