Your bedtime routine should take somewhere between 20 and 30 minutes. Make sure the activities you choose are ones that are soothing and calming for your child. For example, some little ones can't sit still for a story but will enjoy hearing a lullaby . Establish a routine that works best for both of you. And, most important, teach your child to fall asleep on her own at bedtime.
Children often wake during the night.
The difference between those who can sleep through the night and those who can't is whether they can return to sleep on their own without their parent's help. To teach your child to fall asleep on her own, put her down in her crib while she's still awake and periodically check on her. Within a few nights, she will be falling asleep quickly and easily at bedtime. Once she's able to soothe herself to slumber, she will inevitably begin sleeping for longer stretches, and eventually, all night. Until she learns how, respond the way you usually do when she wakes up in the middle of the night.