5 Tips To Manage Your Children’s Sleep During Winter Break
Winter break is upon us... How do we maintain healthy sleep habits and still enjoy the carefree rhythm of vacation, whether it be at home or away?
At The Kids’ Sleep Clinic, our philosophy is simple: vacation is vacation.
Enjoy your vacation, don’t stress about sleep, and get back on track the day your vacation is over! It is possible to be flexible with your children’s sleep without throwing all sleep skills out of the window. It is all about finding a happy medium during this time!
1. Keep bedtime within an hour of usual — when you can
Later nights are common on vacation. If commitments or simply a desire for later nights (your desire, not your children’s) is resulting in your children going to bed later than usual, well so be it! A few late nights will not derail previous healthy sleep.
In order to avoid the consequences that come with late nights, try to keep bedtime within 1 hour of their usual bedtime. If you don’t, that is okay too, it is vacation after all! BUT be prepared for the consequences.
For infants and young children, later bedtimes can result in interrupted nights. Try to respond in the same way that you do at home so that your child knows what to expect.
For preschoolers, later bedtimes may result in oh no earlier waketimes! For school-age children and teens, well, later bedtimes often mean later waketimes!
2. If your child naps, try to protect nap times
For infants, maintain their developmentally appropriate wake times as best as possible. It will be in everyone’s best interest to consider their infants’ sleep needs throughout the day.
For toddlers who are napping, this may be difficult but maintain their nap schedule as best as possible. Keep in mind that without their naps, later nights are considerably more difficult for them to manage.
3. Make the sleep environment feel familiar
The younger your child, the more important the familiarity with their sleep environment. Infants may benefit from their own sheets, a sound machine, and other comforts from home.
Toddlers and preschoolers may benefit from their lovey if they have one, a nightlight if they use one, and other comforts from home.
For all young children, be prepared to spend at least 15-20 minutes with your child in their new environment while they adapt to it before you put them to sleep, whether it is for a nap or the night.
4. Sharing a room? Plan for it
If you are travelling and sharing a room with your child, consider that this will likely impact their sleep. This may result in middle-of-the-night wakings or early-morning wakings.
For infants and toddlers, if possible, provide a barrier between you and your child so as best as possible they are out of your line of sight.
For older children who have newly learned to sleep independently, it would be in their best interest to sleep in their own bed, even if it is in the same room as you.
5. Travelling across time zones? Use light strategically
If you are travelling to a different time zone, ensure that your child is in the sunlight during the day and in darkness at night. This is really important so that their body adapts to the new light/dark cycle of the time zone.
Winter break can be flexible and restful. You don’t have to choose one or the other.
Wishing you calm days, cozy nights, and a happy holiday season.
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