How to Make Bedtime a Dream, According to Nick and Vanessa Lachey

For many parents, bedtime can look like something straight out of a nightmare. Well, it would be a nightmare if there were actually any sleep involved. But for many new parents, there's just not a lot of sleep to be had.

Nick and Vanessa Lachey — parents to five-year-old Camden, three-year-old Brooklyn and one-year-old Phoenix — are more than willing to admit that the whole sleep-training process hasn't been easy. With the help of a few steadfast rules and handy nighttime essentials, they've actually turned bedtime into a dream — one they can't even believe.

"When we had friends who told us their kids really ask to go to bed, I was like, 'there’s no way!'" Nick told HGTV.com at a recent Pampers event in New York City. "It was surprising how effective sleep training could be."

Hold on to your sleep envy.

"I give Vanessa credit because she did a lot of research," Nick said. "If you stick with it and do the routine, it really works."

"It's to the point where the kids say, 'Mommy, I'm tired. I'm ready to go to sleep," Vanessa said.

Nick has his own album of lullabies which is an obvious advantage, but the Lacheys still have a few tricks up their sleeves when it comes to getting the kids to bed. These five items get them through the night, every night, whether they're on the road or hanging at home. Now, Nick and Vanessa can enjoy their own pre-bedtime Netflix and chill as a couple.

1: Serenity Star

Finding the right temperature in a hotel room is basically like solving a Rubik's cube. Not fun at any time, let alone bedtime.

When traveling, the Lacheys rely on helpful temperature indication tools like the Serenity Star to monitor whether or not the temperature of a room is suitable for bedtime. Depending on the results, it's time to either turn up the heat or cool it off with some AC.

2: Special Sheets

One of Vanessa's biggest travel tricks is to bring the kids' familiar, comfy sheets from home in order to keep them unfazed in unfamiliar settings.

For babies and little ones, traveling can be confusing, especially at bedtime or in the middle of the night. Bringing sheets with the usual, normal patterns from home keeps things consistent, which is key for sleep training.

3: Bedtime Books

Nick and Vanessa swear by the power of a good book before bed. The couple makes sure that they read to each of their children individually, fostering a little bonding time that gives them the opportunity to talk before they nod off.

The Lacheys are big fans of "The Day the Crayons Quit." Dads, beware: "I'm getting up there," 44-year-old Nick laughed while warning that the glow-in-the-dark parts of the book were a little too dark for his eyesight. "My son has to read it to me!"

4: Sound Machine

And once the lights are off and the door is closed, the Lacheys know that their kids sleep soundly with the comfort of their sound machine.

Before the sound machine plays, though, they just might be found listening and singing along to Nick's album of lullabies, "A Father's Song," which includes a song written for each child.

5: The Right Diapers

Fun fact: Babies urinate up to 12 times at night. As their diaper gets wet, babies tend to wake up and cry out for a change in the middle of the night.

Both Nick and Vanessa credit finding the right diaper with being one of the biggest factors in keeping their babies clean and comfortable during the night. (Though Nick's diaper-changing skills help, too.) "I'll go on record as saying I've changed more diapers!" Nick laughed.