It’s the middle of August! Wait, what? Already? Yep, school is around the corner, and long gone will be the sleep-ins and staying up late. Here are 8 tips that will help your kiddos transition to the new school routine and schedule, and continue getting the sleep they need.
Don’t wait for school to start.
Children need time to adjust to changes. Two weeks before school starts, start moving bedtime earlier by 15 minutes every few days.
Use a timer.
Set a timer to go off when they’re supposed to be in bed. Put together a sticker chart for every night they beat the timer and a reward for a perfect week!
Turn off all screens.
TVs, tablets and cell phones have blue light, which fools our bodies into thinking it’s not time to sleep. Turn off all devices before dinner time until the next morning.
Have a routine in place
Routines signal your body that bedtime is approaching, making the transition easier. If you don’t have one in place, it’s never to late to establish one. Children of all ages benefit from a routine like this: Bath, teeth, pjs, read a story, lights out. Every. Single. Night.
Have an early bedtime
Children should go to bed early. Anything later than 8:00pm is too late.
Keep the room cool and dark
When school starts, the sun will still be rising early. To make sure this doesn’t disturb sleep, make sure you back out the windows. Temperature is also very important for sleep. All of us sleep better in cooler temperatures. 68 degrees is ideal.
Read a book every night
Not only is it good for children’s literacy, but did you know the eye movements when we read is a natural sedative?
Keep stimulation away.
Keep all toys out of sight and all electronics outside the room.
If you’d like my help establishing good sleep habits for your kids, book a free call! I’ll get you all set for school!
