Toddlers and preschoolers: Just when you thought it couldn't get worse

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It's hard to believe, but by the time your child celebrates his second birthday, he has spent more time asleep than awake. On average, toddlers need 12 to 14 hours of sleep a day, including naps. (Preschoolers do fine on 11 to 13 hours.) Don't be alarmed if your child vetoes the two-nap routine. At around 18 months, it's not unusual for a child to wean himself from two naps to one. But cutting his siestas in half means nighttime sleep gets promoted to highest priority.

Keep the sleep routine short and sweet

An elaborate, multifaceted variety show — a bath, three books, two songs, and a back rub — can stretch on ad nauseam. "Before you know it, your well-intentioned sleep routine turns from transition time to playtime for your child," says Mary Ann LoFrumento, a pediatrician and author of Simply Parenting: Understanding Your Newborn and Infant. If your child fights bedtime, keep the focus on sleep and don't let your child call all the shots.

LoFrumento suggests that parents of troubled sleepers keep the routine no longer than 15 minutes. (Longer is fine if your child falls asleep easily.) Fifteen minutes should be all it takes to put on pajamas, read two short books, and say goodnight, she says.

Connect the dots

"One of the biggest mistakes parents make is not connecting a child's sleep and his daytime behavior," says Pantley. She attributes many of the behaviors labeled as terrible twos to signs of sleep deprivation. "Fussiness, whininess, fighting with siblings — all have their root in the lack of a good night's sleep." Her advice? Move up bedtime. (See our next tip, "Take back the night.")

Take back the night

Exert control and set an early bedtime, preferably between 7 and 8 p.m., Pantley says. "These kids aren't looking at the clock to see what time it is. They're simply waiting for someone to tell them it's time for bed." So pick a time and stick to it.

Practice climate control

Sure, 72 degrees Fahrenheit sounds comfy for a bedroom. And that's true — when you're awake. But the ideal sleeping temperature is between 60 and 70 degrees Fahrenheit. That's because sleep follows on the heels of a sharp drop in body temperature, which is also why a bath before bed helps kids nod off faster. The bath gets your child nice and toasty and then the cool room causes his body temperature to drop, which brings on sleepiness.

So, nudge the thermostat down at least an hour before bedtime. If you're forgetful, install an automatic thermostat. Program it to drop in the evening and rise in the morning, and your child just might follow suit.

Wake kids at the same time every day

A consistent wake-up routine is just as important as a regular bedtime. Children should get up at roughly the same time every day (give or take 30 minutes). Fight the urge to let them sleep in on weekends, says Pantley. "What we are doing is asking our children to live in two different time zones — a weekday zone and a weekend zone," she says. "As a result, they get perpetual jet lag."

Just because kids don't benefit from a little extra shut-eye on the weekends doesn't mean you won't. If weekend mornings are your only time to make up lost sleep, trade morning duty with your partner so that your child stays on track.