I saw a funny meme the other day that said, “I can’t believe Spring Break is almost over”. A lot of kids didn’t go back to school after Spring Break, and now we are beginning a new school year within the next few weeks. This year brings a lot of uncertainty for many families. You may be choosing virtual school, in-person learning, or a hybrid approach. Remember that whatever you choose will be right for your family, but regardless of what you choose, you will likely need to have your child on some kind of “school schedule”. We thought it would be helpful to give you some back to school sleep tips.
Wake Up!
If your child is going to be required to be at school at a specific time each morning (whether that is virtual or in-person) and that time is earlier than your child is currently waking up, it’s time to start waking up your child earlier. While it may be tempting to eek out those last few mornings where you drink your coffee solo, it will be much easier for your child to focus and get their day started if they are adjusted to their new wake up time. If you are going to need to wake your child hours earlier than they are currently waking up, you can adjust this slowly depending on how much time you have before school starts.
Use a Chart for Transitions
Make sure kids know what to expect. We’ve had months of quarantine in addition to summertime with flexible schedules. Did anyone in your house get dressed before noon?! I know there were some days when my kids didn’t and now it’s time to buckle down. Children of all ages can benefit from an age appropriate routine chart– both to start and end their day. Picture charts may be used to encourage smaller children through steps in the morning. Simple lists can work well for older children. Give children enough time to be successful in transitioning from one expectation to the next rather than making them rush every morning. You may want to have a family meeting and practice some of these steps in the days before school begins.
Limit the Screens and Light Before Bedtime
It’s likely that in addition to being flexible with wake up times that you may also have been more flexible with the amount of screen time your child had. While this may not have mattered as much when your child did not have a class at 8:30 am, it’s probably a good idea to limit screens at least one hour before bedtime. Some children need even more time than that, as blue light is extremely stimulating. Expect some push back from your kids on this at first, but if you hold the expectation, they will meet it. Docking phones and tablets outside of the older children and teen bedrooms can help prevent them from sneaking screen time after hours.
Bring Bedtime Earlier
While we will be waking our kids up earlier in the morning, we also need to think about whether bedtime needs to be earlier. How much earlier depends on what time your child needs to be awake and how much sleep they need.
We always get asked how much sleep children should be getting and we are big believers in quality over quantity. The National Sleep Foundation has recommendations here from babies to adults. Keep in mind there is room for wiggle room on both ends, so it’s important to consider your own child’s needs. If your child seems rested, relatively happy, and can function in activities without meltdowns most of the time, chances are they are getting enough sleep. Making adjustments to bedtime will be helpful if they are not.
Try to move bedtime earlier in 15 minute increments if you have the time. If you don’t have enough time to move that slowly, you can move things by 30 minutes at a time. Earlier bedtimes will help your child fall asleep faster and get deeper sleep. Children may be really exhausted the first few weeks of school. Bedtime can be even earlier to accommodate the stresses of new school routines, learning over a computer, and required focus. It’s a lot to handle!
Be Patient
No doubt, things are different this year. Many of us feel overwhelmed about your child’s school plans and incorporating your own responsibilities into the mix. It’s not easy! Try to take time to breathe, and encourage the same of your kiddos if you see that they are having a hard time. In a regular school environment, it can take children up to 6 weeks to adjust to a new school routine. Expect that things may take a little longer this year. If you can keep your child’s sleep in tact, they will have a better chance of adapting more easily. As always, if you need help navigating your child’s sleep situation, we are available to help! Good luck with back to school, and please let us know how it goes if you incorporate any of these tips.