With the summer holidays on the horizon, don’t drop the ball on bedtime
It’s that time of year that, for little ones, is second only to Christmas: the summer holidays. Seemingly endless days without school may seem like a dream come true for your kids, but it’s your job to make sure routines don’t go completely out the window.
And this includes sleep. Without school to anchor down their sleep schedule, it’s all too easy for children to fall into bad habits during the summer holidays, including staying up late, sleeping in, napping during the day and constantly feeling tired. This can make it very difficult to get back into the swing of things once September rolls around.
With that in mind, here are our top tips for helping your kids stick to a sleep schedule this summer.
Make bedtime firm but fair
Don’t abandon bedtime altogether just because it’s the summer holidays. Instead, come up with a bedtime that’s perhaps more lenient than your kids’ term time sleep schedule, but still maintains a sense of order. This should be a bedtime that, on the whole, everyone is happy with, and once it’s been agreed, it must be stuck to.
Set your alarm clocks
Regularly sleeping in late is one of the main reasons kids’ sleep quality can suffer over the summer break. With no early morning commitments, it’s tempting to switch off the usual alarms and let every day start on a lazy note.
But when kids wake up later, they don’t sleep until late, which can wreak havoc with your bedtime agreement. Consider setting an alarm that’s slightly later than your usual term time wake up call.
Clear away distractions at bedtime
It’s no use sending your little ones upstairs at the agreed time when they’re crawling into bed with their iPad, or spending a few hours on a games console. While their days are free to be spent playing with their favourite toys and gadgets, bedtime should be free from distractions.
Remove any temptations from your little one’s bedroom as bedtime approaches, especially screens.
Wind down time
Getting ready for bed isn’t just a physical act, but a mental one too. It’s important to make sure your little ones are relaxed and ready to rest when their head hits the pillow, which is why scheduling in some designated wind down time is important.
This might be a relaxing bath, a bedtime story, or both! Engage your kids in relaxing activities in the hour before bed, dimming the lights and letting them know that it’s time to chill out.
Keep them active
While it’s important to wind your kids down during the evening, it’s equally important to keep them active during the day. Getting out and about is part of what the summer holidays are all about, and a dose of fresh air every day will ensure that your little ones are ready to be tucked in when bedtime rolls around.
Look ahead to September
The last thing your kids want to be reminded of is the impending return to school. But as parents, you know it’ll be here sooner than they think. As September approaches, start to gradually get your kids back into their usual term time routine by making bedtime a little earlier every night. While they may protest at first, it’s far better for them than being plunged into a new routine and spending the first week of school exhausted.