How to use it
Choose how many passes your child gets each night, and change the words if you like.
Print, cut out the passes and explain them during the day, not at bedtime.
At lights out, hand over tonight’s pass. Each trip out of bed uses one, and you take it with a smile.
When the passes are used, walk your child back to bed calmly and briefly. Keep the spares for another night.
Questions parents ask
How does a bedtime pass work?
Your child gets one pass at bedtime and can trade it for one quick trip out of bed: a hug, a sip of water or one more question. Once it’s used, it’s time to sleep, and you walk them back quietly. Some families let a pass that wasn’t used be traded in the morning for something small, like picking the first song in the car. Keep food out of it.
Do bathroom trips use a pass?
No. Your child can always use the bathroom. The pass is for the extra hugs, sips and questions that stretch bedtime out.
What if my child is scared or sick?
Go to them as you usually would. A pass is for the stalling trips, not real needs.
One, two or three passes?
One is the most common place to start. If bedtime is a long string of trips right now, start with two or three and use fewer as it gets easier.
Is my child’s name saved anywhere?
No. A name you type stays in your browser so it can print on the sheet. It is never sent to us.
Is it really free?
Yes. One email unlocks this and every other tool in the library, and you can print as many as you like. Your email also brings one short story each Tuesday, and you can leave anytime.
Read it with a story
This is a simple visual support for everyday routines, not a therapy or a treatment. If your child works with a teacher or therapist, they can tell you how it fits with what they already do. Picture symbols: Mulberry Symbols, CC BY-SA 4.0.
