How the Toniebox transformed a sleep expert's bedtime routine

Hi, I’m Amy. I found a passion for everything sleep-related when I had my first child, Stanley. I couldn't stop thinking about how fusing my years of coaching within schools and the tried and tested knowledge I had gained, could really help support families, just like yours. Fast-forward and 'Peace of The Moon' has now supported so many families to resolve sleep problems with personal and gentle sleep coaching. So today, I wanted to share one of my favourite tools from my ‘toddler toolkit’ to help create an inviting and positive sleep space...

As parents, we are often constantly searching for the newest gadget to help our children sleep better. During the late evening we find ourselves scouring the internet for answers. ‘How to get my toddler to stay in their own bed?!’ ‘How can I stop the bedtime battles?’ ‘Why won’t my child sleep without me there?’.

Let’s face it, most of us have faced some sort of battle with sleep and as a Paediatric Sleep Expert and Mum of 2, I know firsthand how common sleep struggles are for parents. I hate to break it to you, it doesn’t just magically get better once they become a toddler. You may even have a baby that sleeps through the night but once they hit toddlerhood, they develop a new sense of freedom and begin to test boundaries.

Almost 50% of my clients are parents of toddlers and they are my favourite age to work with. Why? Because each of them have this new, emerging personality and temperament and no child is the same; what may work for one, may not work for another. I have a huge ‘toddler toolkit’ when it comes to improving the sleep of toddlers and young children, and the Toniebox has become a new favourite!

As my children began to use their Toniebox during the day, I started to notice the calming influence it had over them. It completely and utterly transformed their play time. They were no longer asking for the TV on and, as they played with their toys, they listened to their stories, further enhancing their imagination and creativity. I started to wonder if this magical little box could help with the biggest transition of them all: the transition from cot to bed!

For me, this was the biggest transition as a parent, and one which really got to me emotionally. Where had my little baby gone? My first born, Stanley, was now becoming a boy and it was time for me to accept this. But one thing I knew, as a Sleep Coach, was that I was likely to face some bedtime battles with this transition. There was no way that he would just stay in his bed and not get out, surely? Most parents I work with face this battle and even though I had worked hard on Stanley’s sleep, I knew he would not be an exception to this. With this new sense of freedom, how would I keep him there? And more importantly, how would I ensure he felt safe, when the bars that provided this security finally dropped?

The big night arrived. And it went how I expected… Numerous trips back to bed, numerous tantrums on the landing. His whole 3 years of security in his sleep space had just been taken away. It was a big change for him and I understood that. The next two nights were similar, the same battles before bed, until he finally admitted defeat and slept. I knew if I remained consistent with my response, he would eventually adapt and go back to sleeping soundly, but bedtime was now becoming a ‘negative’ space and I didn’t want that. We have always kept Stanley’s room a relaxing environment and never made it a punishment to go to bed. We have always talked about the importance of sleep for our bodies, but now this was the place where we had the battles. Something had to change fast. 

He was so excited when I told him that after his two books, he could listen to his new Tonie in bed. The rule being that he had to stay in bed (the Toniebox was out of reach). I explained that the story would help him to relax and reminded him that I was always here and always close by if he needed me. Lo and behold, he didn’t need me, not once. He stayed in bed. I watched him on the monitor get comfy with his teddies as he listened to the story in a relaxed state. He fell asleep in just 15 minutes, the story and the soothing voices providing much-needed comfort. Absolute magic.

It is safe to say the Toniebox has now become a solid part of our bedtime routine and it is here to stay. Bedtimes have once again become peaceful; his bedroom is a positive space and he looks forward to getting into his bed each night. What’s even more exciting is their new Sleepy Friends collection which includes relaxing stories, lullabies, and even white noise for little ones. I am so excited to see how this range develops and how they support even more families to get better sleep. 

Thank you, tonies®, for creating such a wonderful, magical, bedtime tool. The power that little box has for toddlers and young children at bedtime is just incredible.