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Families are in crisis this back-to-school season

Your gift by August 31 will help reach them with biblical guidance, restore hope in their homes, and point them to Christ.

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Families are in crisis this back-to-school season

Urgent Need: As the back-to-school season begins, families are facing mounting pressure—tough choices, cultural confusion, and strained relationships.

Will you make a gift before August 31 to help provide Christ-centered support in this critical season?

Please enter a valid amount

Families are in crisis this back-to-school season

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GIVE MONTHLY

Themes Covered:

Ages 0-3 (Baby/Toddler) Q&A

How Do I Get My Toddler to Stay in Bed?

If you have a strong-willed toddler, you know bed time can be a challenge. Explore these tips to helping your toddler stay in bed.

Estimated reading time: 1 minute

Sometimes, it can feel like bedtime is biggest battle in your family. If you’re like me, you probably want to build a strong foundation of discipline. But you also want to maintain warmth and love.

The keys to getting your toddler to stay in his or her bed are consistency and consequences.

Here are some tips that might help you with a strong-willed toddler.

Be clear with your consequences. If he or she doesn’t meet your expectations, then there might a lost privilege.
When you explain consequences, be consistent. Try your best to be firm but not angry.
Be prepared to wait outside his or her door right after your put your toddler to bed.
Focus on encouraging positive behaviors. Praise your toddler when he does stay in bed through the night or shows growth in her behavior.

For more advice about how to make sure your toddler can stay in bed and parenting strong-willed toddlers, check out resources here.

About the Author

Danny Huerta, Vice President of the Parenting and Youth at Focus on the Family

Danny Huerta, PsyD, MSW, LCSW, LSSW

Vice President, Parenting and Youth

Dr. Huerta oversees Focus’ initiatives that equip mothers and fathers with biblical and research based principles and guidance for raising healthy, resilient children rooted in a thriving faith in Christ.

Dr. Huerta is a bilingual psychologist, licensed clinical social worker, author of 7 Traits of Effective Parenting, and co-author of Focus on the Family’s Age and Stage resource, and various other resources. He is also the co-host and expert on the Focus on Parenting and the Practice Makes Parent podcasts.

For many years, he has provided families with practical, biblically-based, and research-based parenting advice on key parenting topics. He has been interviewed by various media outlets including Fox News, Fatherly, Christianity Today, WORLD Magazine, The Christian Post and CBN, and regularly speaks on Christian radio stations and podcasts across the United States. He’s also written for various publications and is a regular speaker at retreats, conventions, family camps, online events worldwide, and on various social media channels.

Dr. Huerta has maintained a private practice serving families in Colorado Springs since 2003 and has also served families as an employee of Focus on the Family since 2004.

He and his wife, Heather, love the outdoors, have been married since 1997, and love spending time with their two adult children.

More by Danny Huerta, PsyD, MSW, LCSW, LSSW