Back to school – super sleepers!

Argh – I’m sorry, I didn’t want to talk about going back to school just yet, but I know many will be starting back soon and wanted to share my back to school sleep tips with you before the ‘week before starting school’ was upon us so you can have supper sleepers ready for school!

Back to school

The holidays are so much fun, and with all that fun comes late nights, routine changes and time away from home. It’s easy to forget the routine, but did you know it really is the magic key to a good night’s sleep?

With the school days approaching, it’s a good idea at least one week before, to get your little one back into better bedtime hours so they are refreshed and ready for the early starts that school brings.

How do I prepare my child for school?

Sleep wise – There’s no need for regimented, strict and back to early bedtimes right away after weeks of fun stop-ups! This will likely be met with grumpy faces and arguments at bedtime. Instead, Simply tweak the late nights a little by reducing 15 minutes each night until you are back to a reasonable bedtime.

My two (aged 3&4) usually go to bed 6-6.30pm, but during the holidays it’s been more like 7-8pm which we’ve all enjoyed. This has brought us wonderful lazy mornings, but when school starts they need to be bright and refreshed at 7am – ready for a day of nursery (and for Boo – her first days of school!) This means a good night’s sleep for all of us!

Daily routine

It may sound a little silly, but by getting back into a good daily routine by gently following the school meal and break times – it’ll be easier for your child to get back to the swing of things.

If they start having meals roughly the same time in the weeks beofre they go to school, it’ll make the days easier for them. Our lovely later lunches of 1.30-2pm while out and about on our summer adventures are being popped back to 12-12.30pm in the week before school as that’s when the schools lunch timetable is.

Helping your child sleep well for school

Once your little one is settled in their school life, it’s important to maintain good bedtime habits. I’ve written an article here which is full of my top tips for helping your child sleep well for school.

 Preparing for school

With the summer holidays still in full swing, don’t let the fun stop just yet, just gently follow my back to school tips and you’ll help your little ones to become super sleepers so they can face their school days refreshed and happy.

If your little one (like my two are) starting school for the first time, I’ve written this gentle guide for making it all go smoothly.

For more sleep tips from babies right up to pre-teen my Baby Bedtime offers gentle, practical tips that have helped thousands of parents worldwide.