Good Morning Friends and Happy Friday! With our summer schedules in full swing, our sleep is WAY off. The toddler isn’t napping, soon to be kindergartners are so emotional, and the oldest kiddos feel the need to stay up way later than they should. We are a mess. If you know us, you know this goes against everything we have always done. I think our oldest kids (8 & 9) went to bed at 7pm even during this school year. Alisha and I have always been very strict with our kids’ sleep schedules. Kids are happier, better able to regulate their emotions, and can even fight off illness better when they get enough rest on their little bodies. With all that being said, let’s talk about summer sleep schedules and how to balance it all out with kids.
This is what your child should be getting for sleep, but summer is a whole new ball game…literally!
- infants (0–3 months): 14–17 hours, including naps
- infants (4–12 months: 12–16 hours, including naps
- toddlers (1–2 years): 11–14 hours, including naps
- preschool (3–5 years): 10–13 hours, including naps
- school-age (6–13 years): 9–12 hours
- teens (14–17 years): 8–10 hours
https://kidshealth.org/en/parents/sleep.html
For us, baseball doesn’t get done until 8:15 or later some nights! By the time you get home and your kid has a quick shower and a 12th meal after working up another appetite (if you know you know) , its 9:30 and everybody is on the verge of tears at the drop of a banana being overly mushy. It’s TOUGH, especially when they decide sleeping in isn’t a thing either. So here’s what’s been working with us…kind of
- WEAR THEM OUT! Right after breakfast we hit the ground running. Biking to the library, day at the beach, park hopping, really anything outside to tire them out.
- REST TIME. After a morning of busy they are all ready for a good rest. They probably won’t nap (unless you’ve got a little one) and if they do, take the bonus time! We close the blinds and watch a movie or read on our beds for an hour (audio books are a mom’s best friend for non readers!)
- SWITCH NAP TIME. Don’t be scared to try it. What’s the worst that happens, you ruin an already crazy schedule?! We have pushed my 2 year old naps to 1:00 so she can handle the late nights a little easier. It wasn’t that hard because we are so busy all morning she didn’t have time to be crabby. We usually pack a lunch wherever we go so when we get home she can go right to bed! We usually wake her around 3:30!
- BACK OUTSIDE/DINNER/ACTIVITIES/SNACK/SHOWER/BED. Seems like a lot, and it is..but it goes by quickly. We are usually outside right after our rest because now you have to wear them back out. A quick family dinner together, nightly activities, shower, and bed. By all that you have done they should be ready for bed!
We are no experts at sleep, and you know come mid August bedtimes are going back to 7pm for the littles and MAYBE later for the bigs. This is just what we are doing to get us by and that seems to be somewhat working. Moral of the story today….. tire the kids out so that sleep isn’t a fight. Outside play is the easiest way to do that. Try to enjoy every moment of this stage!
Have a blessed weekend and get out for some Vitamin D and enjoy the weather!
Stay Well,
Tricia + Alisha
forgetmenotwellness.com 