Creating Healthy Bedtime Habits

(ARA) - “Just five more minutes, please” is a familiar plea heard by many parents of young children along with last minute requests for water, a quick story or any excuse to delay lights out for the night. It’s no secret that bedtime can be trying for moms and dads.

With a little help, bedtime struggles can be turned into a daily opportunity for parents and children to create one of their first rituals together. In a recent Colgate-Palmolive Company survey conducted by Harris Interactive, 70 percent of parents whose children have a bedtime routine said they could use help in making bedtime more fun, including games that encourage good bedtime habits and tips on how to reward a child for good bedtime behavior.

To help families create fun, healthy habits, Colgate-Palmolive Company has teamed up with Reading Is Fundamental (RIF), the nation’s largest and oldest nonprofit children’s and family literacy organization, to help launch a new website offering online tools and tips for every type of parent, www.colgatehealthyhabits.com.

There are several ways parents can help instill healthy habits in children such as making time to read with your children every day and talking about what you read together. Parents can share stories and songs to engage younger children and babies. By creating a regular brushing and flossing schedule, parents can establish practices that will help children have healthy teeth and a bright smile.

Parents will find many resources online, including a family reading and brushing log and a customizable chart that tracks each child’s success nightly. Children are encouraged to select a design theme and personalize their chart with their name, while parents can display the log on a wall or track progress online. As the log is completed, the family earns points for fun rewards and each child can earn a free battery-powered toothbrush from Colgate-Palmolive Company.

“We wanted to offer some creative ways to teach long-lasting healthy habits,” says Marie-Agnes Daumas of Colgate-Palmolive Company. “Bedtime is a great opportunity to incorporate habits like regular reading and brushing, which will benefit children for a lifetime. Think of bedtime as a chance to create rituals that your children will look forward to every night.”

To take advantage of the free program, log on to www.colgatehealthyhabits.com. When bedtime is fun, your child will embrace the routine, making it an enjoyable way for the whole family to end the day.

Seven Ways to Help Make Reading Fun!

1. Make time to read with your children every day.

2. Keep books, magazines, and newspapers around your home.

3. Model reading and writing to show children you think reading is important.

4. Visit the library often, and encourage children to get library cards.

5. Find books and magazines about things your children like.

6. Share stories and songs, especially with young children and babies.

7. Talk about what you read.

Source: Reading Is Fundamental, www.rif.org