General Education

School-Year Sleep Schedule: How to Get Your Child Back on Track for the New Year

School-Year Sleep Schedule: How to Get Your Child Back on Track for the New Year
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Noodle Staff August 29, 2012

Readjusting to a school schedule means sticking to a bedtime. Here's how you can help your child make the transition.

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It's time to start getting ready to head back to school for kids around the country. From school supplies to carpools, getting ready for the new school year is a busy time and starting the new year is often stressful. One of the best ways to ensure that your child starts the year off right is to get them on a sleep schedule. Here are a few tips to help your child get adjusted to going to bed and getting up earlier:

1. Do it gradually.

Advance your child's bedtime 10 minutes per night so that they have time to get accustomed to falling asleep earlier in the evening.

2. Quiet time before bedtime is crucial.

Make sure to give your child some time to wind down before lights out/bedtime. Reading stories with them in bed, talking quietly about how they're feeling about the school year, singing to them, or rubbing their back are all good activities to get your child into the right mindset for sleep.

3. Be consistent.

Gradually advancing your child's bedtime is important to get them accustomed to falling asleep earlier, but it's very important to be sure that they're going to bed around the same time every night.

4. Watch their diet.

Making sure your child stays away from caffenated soda or chocalate too close to bedtime will also ensure that they're as calm and relaxed by bedtime as possible.

School aged children need about 10 to 12 hours of sleep per night, so make sure to plan accordingly.

Want more information about your child's sleep needs and how to get them ready for school? Click here for more advice from the Huffington Post or here for general guidelines about children's sleep needs.

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