I don’t know about the rest of the world, but North Carolina public schools go back super early! Griff and Owen will be starting on Wednesday, August 5th. Only a couple days away now!
This summer has been magical. It was the first time there was no early swim team practice (we took this summer off) and nothing to keep the Hopkins Household from enjoying the long summer days.
Which meant that we got into a pretty late night bedtime for the boys, as we soaked up every ounce of daylight and moonlight summer fun available. How can your night not end up super late when you have drive-in movies, sunset boating, lightning bug catching and sleepovers to do?!
Now that the school start is right around the corner, we have been shifting the boys’ sleep schedule to accommodate an early morning rise. And I’m here to tell you how it’s been going, and provide tips for you to accomplish the same task in your household.
1. DON’T WAIT UNTIL THE NIGHT BEFORE!
One of the biggest mistakes to make when transitioning your kids to a back-to-school sleep schedule is to attempt to do it the night before.
News flash…it won’t work and both you and your children will be miserable that night and the next day! And maybe even the following couple of days.
Instead, it’s better to shift both bedtime and wake-up times earlier by ten to fifteen minutes every couple days, starting two weeks before school starts.
We’ve been working on the sleep schedule shift for a week now and I can share that it is going very well! There have been no meltdowns thus far, and we have already shifted schedules by almost one hour.
2. ENFORCE A HARD WAKE-UP TIME.
It’s pretty hard to shift sleep schedules just based on bedtime, because you can’t help if the kids are tired or not.
Although you can put them in their rooms early, that doesn’t mean they will actually be able to fall asleep at the time you need. Therefore, you can end up with a crying kiddo for hours when they get worked up about not falling asleep, which leads to a very frustrating night for yourself. And no one wants that!
Instead, make sure you shift their wake-up time too! Getting your kids up is controllable. By waking them up at “school time” even during the transition weeks, you are building up a natural sleep drive by the evening bedtime.
3. REBUILD THE BEDTIME WIND-DOWN RITUAL.
The summer routine in the Hopkins Household was extremely loose and a little chaotic.
In order to get the kids back on a schedule we’ve tried to bring back a predictable and comforting bedtime routine. This includes a shower, pajamas, teeth brushing and twenty minutes of quiet time in their rooms prior to bed.
Everyone will have a different routine, and that’s totally okay. It’s just important to have a consistent one so your children know what to expect.
4. INVEST IN A SLEEP-FRIENDLY OASIS.
Since the summer daylight hours don’t exactly match their new bedtime routine, we make sure to use all of the sleep aids at our disposal.
I’ve already written about our magical Hatch sound machine here, and the kids’ canopy bed tent here. These tools help provide an oasis for the boys, ideal for sleeping.
5. ADJUST DAYTIME ACTIVITY.
It’s important to ramp up your kids’ activity during this transitional phase to ensure they are extra sleepy for bedtime. Especially in the morning hours to set their circadian rhythm.
We’ve been trying to take advantage of time on the lake, which includes a ton of swimming and lots of outdoor sunlight. Additionally, Adam has been playing a lot of baseball with the boys to get them ready for their upcoming seasons.
The more we have been able to wear them out, the better their new bedtime has gone! We just make sure that the evening hours are calmer, so they have a chance to wind-down prior to bedtime.
YOU’VE GOT THIS!
If you are reading this and thinking, “oh, crap, I haven’t started yet,” don’t panic! The sooner you start, the faster your children will adjust and be back to their school year bedtime.
Follow these steps, and you will be crushing it come the first day of school! With well-rested kids who are ready to take on their new school adventures!
