BookTrust launches Bath Book Bed campaign

Nearly 80% of parents say lack of sleep is the hardest part of raising a child, according to BookTrust, which has surveyed a thousand parents as part of its new Bath Book Bed campaign.

Bath Book Bed, a campaign which encourages parents to make reading part of their baby’s sleep routine, is fronted by parenting guru Jo Frost, and launches today.

According to the survey, 78% of parents said lack of sleep is what they find hardest, and more than a third (35%) said getting their child to sleep is the biggest challenge. Three in five (60%) said they want guidance on achieving a successful night-time routine.

Frost, who has been a nanny for more than 20 years, said: "Sleep deprivation is the most common complaint I hear from parents of young children. Tired parents and tired children is a recipe for disaster. But the solution doesn’t need to be complicated regimes or expensive gizmos. A routine as simple as bath, book, bed can get young children to settle so that everyone can benefit from a good night’s sleep."

During the campaign Frost will advise parents about how best to introduce the Bath Book Bed routine.

BookTrust is encouraging parents to sign-up to ‘14 Days to Better Sleep’,  and the campaign is backed by public health organisations Community Practitioners and Health Visitors Association (CPHVA) and the Institute of Health Visiting (iHV).