Getting your kids sleep back on track, in time for back to school
Vacations away, and the long hot days of summer, mean that a
lot of kids are off their regular nighttime routines and bedtimes are too late
for the early mornings of school days just around the corner. September is a
new start for everyone, back to routine and the daily grind. By offering your
family healthy consistent routines you will create healthy sleep habits that
will ensure they are getting enough sleep.
Here are a few tips on how to get your kids back on track
and well rested in time for school:
1) Start
Now: If you start now, getting your kids to bed 10 minutes earlier every night,
it will not be too drastic, and easing into it will make it easier to execute.
2) Create
a Routine: Try to keep each evening consistent, ( as much as your family’s life
will allow).
3) The
Routine begins with dinner time, try to keep dinner at the same time evey
evening as much as possible with the whole family sitting down to eat together.
4) Next
is bath time that last real play of the day.
5) While
one parent is bathing the kid(s) the other should be prepping the final bedtime
routines, pajamas and sleep sacs out, toothbrushes prepped, lights dimmed,
bedtime story chosen. This way the transition from bath to bed will be quick
and calm.
6) Settle
into story, final bottle or feed for smaller children and lights out.
A few products I recommend for aiding sleep in kids
1) Black
out Blinds: for the bright long days of day light savings this will ensure
their rooms are dark.
2) Sleep
sacs for little ones, they are safe, and they will not kick off their covers in
the night.
3) Glo
Balls for older kids, like a night light they can take to bed with them, they
give off a soft glow and make kids feel secure.
4) Sleep
Machine: These are great for white noise, and help make background noise in the
house fade away.
