The Dreamtime Blog
Bedtime story ideas
& sleep tips for parents
Better bedtimes, happier mornings.
Practical guides on bedtime routines, storytelling, and raising well-rested children.
How to Help Your Child Stop Dreading Bedtime After a Scary Movie or TV Show
When a scary scene from a film or show sneaks into your child's imagination, bedtime can suddenly become a battleground. Here's how to help your child process what they saw and feel safe again at night.
How to Help Your Child Stop Asking for the Same Bedtime Stuffed Animal's "Opinion" on Everything
When your child starts consulting a stuffed rabbit before agreeing to anything at bedtime, it can feel like a stalling tactic. In reality, it's a sign of healthy imaginative development, and there are simple ways to work with it rather than against it.
How to Help Your Child Stop Confusing AM and PM (And Other Bedtime Clock Mix-Ups)
Does your child insist it's still daytime when the clock says otherwise, or wake at 5am convinced it's time to get up? Here's why young children struggle with time concepts and how to use simple, visual tools to help bedtime make more sense.
How to Help Your Child Stop Asking for a Bedtime Story With a Different Ending Every Night
Some children can't bear to hear the same story end the same way twice, and keep asking for new endings until bedtime spirals out of control. Here's why this happens and how to give your child creative closure without losing an hour to negotiation.
How to Help Your Child Stop Asking for Bedtime Stories With Scary Villains (Without Banning Them Outright)
Villains are a bedtime staple, but when the wicked witch or hungry wolf starts causing real worry at lights out, it's time to rethink how you handle them. Here's how to keep the drama kids love without the fear that follows them to sleep.
How to Help Your Child Stop Asking for a Bedtime Story About Something They're Scared Of (Facing Fears Through Fiction)
When your child keeps requesting stories about the exact thing that scares them, whether it's spiders, the dark, or the doctor, it can feel confusing. Here's why kids do this, and how to use it as a genuine tool for building courage rather than fuelling anxiety.
How to Help Your Child Stop Asking to Sleep With the Radio or Music On All Night
Many children insist on music or the radio playing all night to fall and stay asleep, but this habit can quietly disrupt their sleep cycles. Here's why kids reach for background sound at bedtime and how to help them fall asleep without relying on it playing all night.
How to Help Your Child Stop Asking to Sleep With the Door Open (Without a Nightly Standoff)
The door-open, door-closed debate is one of the most common bedtime battles, and it's rarely about the door at all. Here's what's really going on and how to find a solution that lets everyone sleep soundly.
How to Help Your Child Stop Asking for the Same Bedtime Question Every Single Night
Does your child ask "will you always love me?" or "what if there's a fire?" every night at bedtime, word for word? Here's why repetitive bedtime questions happen and how to respond in a way that actually settles your child instead of prolonging the ritual.
How to Help Your Child Stop Asking for a Later Bedtime "Because I'm Not a Baby Anymore"
When your child starts protesting their bedtime as "babyish," it's a sign they're craving more independence, not less sleep. Here's how to navigate the "I'm too old for this bedtime" phase while still protecting the sleep they need.
How to Help Your Child Stop Asking to Sleep With All the Lights On in the Whole House
When one small nightlight isn't enough and your child insists on every hallway, bathroom and landing light blazing, it can feel like the house is turning into an airport runway. Here's why this happens and how to gradually bring the wattage back down without a fight.
How to Help Your Child Stop Stalling by Asking for "Just Five More Minutes" of Everything at Bedtime
Does bedtime turn into an endless string of "just five more minutes"? Here's why children negotiate for extra time at every step of the routine, and how to set boundaries that actually hold without nightly battles.