What to do When It’s Light at Bedtime
Ah, summertime. Don’t you just love it? The longer days, shorter nights and extended daylight does wonders for our general mood and wellbeing, doesn’t it? If only it would have such a positive impact on our childrens’ sleep too! Sadly, many parents find that longer days mean an increase in disturbed sleep, and more children find it harder to drop off to sleep. It’s to be expected, but that doesn’t mean there’s nothing we can do about it. Read on to find out what to do when it’s light at bedtime.
Stick to your routine
As you probably expected, staying consistent with your daytime and bedtime routine is essential when it comes to lighter evenings. Your routine is important in helping little ones understand that it’s time to sleep and vital if you don’t want to undo all your hard work at tweaking and adjusting things to suit your child’s needs. Stay consistent, and don’t be tempted to put your child to bed later to compensate for the lighter evenings. All that will happen is your child will become overtired and therefore find it even hard to fall asleep.
Invest in a blackout blind
If sticking to your usual routine means that your child struggles to fall asleep before it’s dark, then a blackout blind is definitely going to help. You can also use a SnoozeShade for the stroller if you’re out and about and your child needs to nap. Having a darkened environment encourages the body to start producing melatonin, the hormone we need to be able to fall asleep. A blackout blind will be a huge help during the summer months. I am a big fan of Blackout EZ.
Set the scene in advance
Children need plenty of warning that bedtime is approaching- you know yourself you can’t just flick a switch and feel ready for bed. Children don’t have an adult concept of time or need to sleep, so we have to help them along- especially when it appears to be daytime still outside. A great way to prepare little ones for bedtime is by setting the scene well in advance.
Start by drawing the blinds and curtains throughout the house and keep lights and sounds dim. Engage in quiet activities to calm your child and to allow the brain to slow down. This can be done up to two hours before bedtime and should really help prepare for bedtime.
Stay flexible
Some children will take longer than others to get used to the longer days, and therefore it’s a good idea to remember that staying flexible will always help to preserve your sanity! As regular readers will know, being on a routine rather than a schedule will help you to maintain a sense of balance when life throws you a curveball- and let’s face it, long summer days can be just that! Stay flexible, don’t stress out and gently ease your little one into summer the best you can. Good luck!
