Getting into the Back to School Sleep Routine

Back to school time is just about here, and if you’re anything like my family, the first few mornings are always rough. So here are a few tips to get your kids back into a good sleep schedule:

1. Routine, routine, routine. With long summer nights, late evening swimming, vacation and catching fireflies on the agenda, it’s hard to keep things consistent. Get back on track to a solid bedtime routine with regular story time, snuggle time, a back rub, or whatever it is you do to help your kiddos relax before they hit the sack.  And don’t forget to shut down all screens at least 1 hour before bedtime.
2. Gradually move up bedtime. I like to move their bedtimes up about 20 minutes earlier each night until they are going to bed at the right time a few days before school actually starts. Half the time, they never even notice what I’m doing. Plus, I have a few extra “me time” minutes to look forward to at the end of each day.
3. About a year ago, I realized the sleep meditation I was doing would also help my kids relax and go to sleep. Both kids love the 2-minute sleep meditation from the Stop, Breathe & Think app. There are tons of guided meditations and relaxing music videos on Youtube  too, just hide the screen so your little one doesn’t think it’s screen time.

If all else fails, steel yourself for a few tired mornings the first week of school. Sometimes they just have to learn the hard way to get enough rest. Good luck!