Sleep, the oh-so-important part of parenting you didn’t realize was going to be the topic of conversation after having kids but it sure is! Having a newborn, baby, toddler, and/or preschooler life tends to revolve around your child’s nap and bedtime! When daylight saving time rolls around twice every year we always wonder…WHY! Your best bet to having your child continue to sleep well is to plan and prepare!
Here are four tips to help:
Tip #1: Plan ahead
Plan ahead and start around one week before daylight saving time. This means you should start preparing your kids the Sunday before the time change. If you think you are going to have trouble adjusting, you can start earlier! Do not procrastinate and try to adjust 15-30 minutes 2 days before, because that’s not going to work.
Tip #2: Control The Lights
As it gets dark earlier in the evenings, melatonin increases and helps to induce sleep, and then it decreases when it becomes light outside again to increase wakefulness and alertness. This is challenging when it gets dark so early. Of course, when daylight savings kicks in each spring & fall, we are fighting against that natural cycle. Make sure you have the right type of shade in your child’s bedroom and adjust as needed in the morning and at night so they continue with their sleep schedule.
Tip #3: Split the Nap Time Difference
Instead of adjusting your child’s nap schedule immediately, try splitting the difference. Making adjustments to both morning and afternoon naps or cutting the afternoon naps either at the beginning or end can help your child make those sleeping adjustments.
By changing nap times gradually your child’s body will have some time to adjust and ease into the time change.
Tip # 4: Get Outside
During the colder months, it is so hard to get outside sometimes! It is cold and dark and so much work to bundle up and head outdoors. This tip is one of the most important tips! Getting outdoors and enjoying a walk down the street or playtime in the background or park is key to a child’s growth and development and this has more to do with getting a good night’s sleep (but it sure does help!)
Looking for a new bedtime story. Here are a few options that we found and wanted to share with you:
Amazon | Breathe Like a Bear
Amazon | The Bernstein Bears – In the Dark
Amazon |Sweet Dreams
Amazon | It’s So Quiet: A Not-Quite-Going-to-Bed Book
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Photo by Tara Raye
This is a topic that’s near to my heart… Many thanks! Where are your contact details though?