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August 16, 2017

6 Tips to Get Your Child Back on School Sleep Schedule

Have kids going back to school?  I know after staying up late and sleeping in for summer break it can take some time to get back into the groove.  Here are 6 tips to help your children adjust back to their school sleep schedule.

1. If possible start two weeks before school starts, going to bed earlier and getting up at the necessary time.  Starting ahead of time allows you to adjust their bedtime and wake up time gradually.  Your kids might say they are not tired at night, if you wake them up even earlier than their normal wake up time that will help them be tired at night.

2. Turn off electronics and television an hour before bedtime.  Have them turn in their electronics so you know they are not on it during the night.  Our kids are not on electronics on school days but we still have a central charging station, where all devices go so the electronics are not in their rooms.

3. Make bedtime enjoyable.  Have reading time, coloring or even just talking about their day and plans for tomorrow.  Enjoying bath time, setting out clothes and preparing for tomorrow can help them wind down.  Try to plan properly so bedtime is not rushed.

4. Keep your school schedule even on the weekends.  At least for the first month back to school, keep the same bedtime and wake up time for the weekends.  When we let them sleep in and stay up later it’s like you have to start over again come Monday.

5. Provide a cool, dark, comfortable and quiet environment when it is time for bed.  If it’s too hot it’s hard to fall and asleep and stay asleep.  Make sure there are no bright lights, with daylight savings time you made need dark curtains or shades and for night, use a dim night light if needed.  If your children fall asleep listening to music or an audio book, make sure it is played quietly.

6. Consistency is key!  Once you set your bedtime and wake-up time, stick with it.  You might have some grumpy kids at first but they will get the hang of it and it will help them and the entire family in the long run.

A couple of things to avoid; eating late and vigorous activity too close to bedtime.  Eating too late can make it difficult to go to sleep, try eating dinner earlier. You don’t want to do vigorous activity too close to bed time, but going for a walk after dinner, or jumping on the trampoline can help burn off some of that energy and get them ready for bed if it’s done early enough.

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