Summer Fun and Good Sleep
Have you ever wondered how to enjoy summer fun and still get good sleep? How do you handle a late night barbecue with friends, Fourth of July fireworks, and late nights on vacation? For most children over four months old, a bedtime between 7 and 8 PM is ideal. Does having good sleep habits mean you can never make an exception? Absolutely not! Of course, like adults, different children have different levels of flexibility. Some children can go to bed two hours late, and not be affected too much. Other children might really struggle to stay up past their bedtime. Many children will even wake up EARLIER the next morning if they go to bed late.
So, what’s a parent to do? Here’s the advice that I give my clients: be inflexible and super consistent for a period of time so that you can have MORE flexibility in the future. Once your child has learned the skill of falling asleep independently at bedtime and is sleeping well through the night, having an occasional late night for a fun event is just fine! Children who have consistent, healthy sleep habits are more rested overall. This makes them better able to cope with changes when they do occur. Once you have established that good, solid foundation of healthy sleep habits, it’s okay to make occasional changes in your nap time or bedtime routine.
Are nights and naps always hard no matter what time you do bedtime? Book a FREE 15 minute consult and let’s make a plan to help your little one get the sleep they need! Do you have a great sleeper but are worried about an event or trip throwing everything off? Book a troubleshooting call and we will make a plan together!