It’s nearly summer…which means the sun is shining early and late.  Although this is wonderful for plants and trees…it is often not great for getting your kids to go to bed (and stay there).  What kid wants to go to bed while the sun is still up, anyway?

The fact is, most young children need 11-12 hours of sleep each night.  This means that your child will probably be both going to bed and waking up while the sun is brightly shining.

Here are a few suggestions for ensuring that your child gets enough sleep in the summer.

 

1)  Stick to a consistent routine.  If you usually give your child a bath at 7:30 and put them in bed at 8, keep up with the same routine in the summer.  With the exception of special occasions and holidays, your child needs the consistency to ensure he/she gets a proper amount of sleep each night.

 

2) Use blackout curtains.  Find some way to keep the sunlight out of your child’s room at night and in the mornings.  We purchased blackout curtains when our oldest was about 18 months old and decided that he wanted to go to bed (and wake up) with the sun.  Many stores also sell blackout liners that you can attach to the back of your existing curtains.

 

3) Teach your child not to get out of bed until the clock shows a certain time.  If you have a child who is naturally an early riser despite your best efforts to block out the sun, you might consider putting a clock in his/her room.  Tell your child that she can only get up when there is a 7 on the first number of the clock (or whatever time you want her to get up).  If your child is too young to recognize numbers, you might consider trying a nightlight with a wake-up indicator.  This will help regulate her natural sleep cycle and ensure that she isn’t waking you up at 5:30 every morning.  :)

 

What suggestions do you have for ensuring your child gets enough sleep in the summer?

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