Back to School Routines
Whether your little one is starting school for the first time, or you’re just ready to get back into a routine with your baby or toddler now that the busyness of summer is winding down, we have 5 tips to help make the transition as smooth as possible for you and your family!
1: Adjust Bedtime
Summer is all about enjoying beach days, bbqs, lake life, and sunsets – and with these fun summertime activities, often our kids are going to bed much later than usual. To help your child adjust to an earlier bedtime, start putting your little one down 15-20min earlier, adjusting by 15-20min earlier every few days, to get to your target bedtime. This gradual approach to adjusting bedtime can help your child’s body clock adjust over the course of a few weeks, helping your child drift off to sleep earlier every few nights, and helping them wake for the day earlier as well.
2: Create a Morning Routine
Getting into a rhythm in the morning after months of lackadaisical summer days can be tough! Help reduce morning chaos by creating a visual morning routine for your child with images or photos of each step, such as getting dressed, eating breakfast, brushing teeth, filling water bottle, packing backpack. Even toddlers can partake in a routine like this with some guidance and encouragement from a parent!
3: Make Time to Connect
Make time for meaningful connection before and after school. Be intentional about eating a meal together. This doesn’t always have to be dinner! Breakfast can be a great time to connect and talk about the upcoming day. Build is some time in the evening for meaningful connection before bedtime. You may want to slow down your routine so you aren’t feeling rushed when your little one wants a few more snuggles, or to chat before going to sleep. It can be hard to do at the end of the day, but these are important moments for your child to feel close to you before turning in for the night, and the more connected they feel, the less likely they are to need you overnight.
4: Limit Daytime Sleep
Being at school increases stimulation, which can make our little ones more tired throughout the day. If a packed morning at preschool means your kiddo crashes for 3 hours in the afternoon but then won’t fall asleep until 10pm, consider cutting back on daytime sleep or eliminating it all together so your child is tired enough to fall asleep at bedtime.
5: Use Blackout Shades
If you’re trying to get your child to bed earlier, consider using temporary blackout shades. This can help cue sleep in the evening when there may still be lingering light from the longer days, and darkness helps increase the production and release of the sleep hormone, melatonin, which can help sleep come more easily for your little one.
As with all things, give yourself and your family time to adjust to this new season. If you need help with schedule adjustments or transitioning from a busy summer to a new school year, book your a la carte coaching call, or reach out to us directly for package options that best suit your family’s situation. We’d love to help!
