Summer is filled with long days, fun vacations, and late nights. However, if you’re a parent, you understand the importance of having a regular nighttime routine for your children, especially during the school year.
As summer draws to a close and back-to-school preparations begin, now is the perfect time to prepare your kids for a more routine bedtime. Take a look at these tips to get your kids back on a regular nighttime routine and ready to go back to school!
Here are 4 tips to get your kids ready to go back to school and back to a regular nighttime routine!
Start with an earlier bedtime
As you know, the sun stays up longer during the summer months which inadvertently affects when we feel sleepy and when we wake up.
To help your children adjust, it is recommended that you gradually introduce an earlier bedtime.
Depending on your child’s age, their bedtime will vary. If your child has been falling asleep around 9 pm, but the appropriate bedtime for their age is 8 pm, you will need to make some adjustments. In this case, you would adjust their bedtime by 15 minutes to 8:45 pm. From there, you would continue to reduce their bedtime by 15-minute increments until you reach an appropriate bedtime for their age!
No screen time before nighttime
Blue light emitted from TVs, phones, and tablets trick our brains into believing it’s still daylight, which results in less melatonin production, causing your kids to stay awake longer.
Ideally, when developing a healthy nighttime routine for kids, you’ll want to stop all screen time at least an hour before bed.
If your child is still needing stimulation before bedtime, try reading a book with them or working on a puzzle together. This will help promote a calm environment prior to their nighttime routine.
Nighttime bath/shower
If you don’t already, you should try implementing a regular bathtime for your kids an hour or two before bed.
Warm baths have been proven to aid our body’s natural circadian process, which is what helps us to fall asleep faster and stay asleep longer.
Keep a consistent nighttime routine
Routines can help children feel safe, develop life skills, and establish healthy habits. That is why it’s so important to follow a consistent nighttime routine as often as possible for your kids.
An easy routine to follow could be as simple as:
- Dinner
- Bath
- Book
- Bed
By setting expectations, your child will learn what to expect each night and will often look forward to the time you share together in preparation for bedtime.
As you transition from summer break to preparing for back to school, it is important to allow yourself grace when creating a new nighttime routine for kids. If you’re looking for more advice on how to promote good sleep for your child, check out our Best Sleep for Children blog where we dive into some best practices regarding your kid’s sleep! Also, consider adding a JAMA 7” Mattress to your kids’ back-to-school shopping list to get them excited about school and bedtime by having a brand new mattress to start the school year off strong!
