The bedtime lantern- gentle sleep training

Just a quick post to share our bed time lantern. The bed time lantern is part of our new daily routine, designed to make life with a toddler a little more organised, without turning to sleep training or a structured we do this, at this time routine.
The daily rhythm revolves around the simple chores of the day, housework, eating and washing. It's inspired by Waldorf education and Steiners view of child development in the first few years.

I've written a post about our Waldorf home daily rhythm, which you can read for ideas about your own daily rhythm.
Anyway, this is our bedtime candle or lantern, the second to last part of our daily routine.

This is a special lantern, because it is one Froggy and I made at his first term of Waldorf parent and child classes. It was made to celebrate Martinmas, a winter festival. Read how to make a Waldorf bedtime lantern.

Every night before his bedtime feed, as we change into pyjamas
I light this special candle. All other lights in our home are turned out. My normally hectic toddler slows down, normally muttering "oh wow" under his breath.

When changed we carry this little lantern through to the bedroom singing this song we learnt at class:

Waldorf kindergarten Martinmas song
I'm going with my lantern,
My lantern is coming with me,
In heaven the stars are shining,
On earth shines my lantern for me.

Bright is the light,
Dark is the night
A-rim-ba, ah-bim-ba, ah run
(Repeat)

When we get to bed, I let Froggy blow out the candle. Then we have our nightime feed and he goes to sleep.

From a psychological point of view, this little routine works because it

A) calms down the toddler, by slowing down and singing songs calmly
B) the transition from light to dark triggers sleep hormones

We've been using it for a few weeks now, and both our morning and evening routine and it's resulted in a much calmer and reliable home rhythm. Which as number two is on her way in a few months is very relieving.