How To Get Your Kids Back On The School-Sleeping Schedule

Kids love summer time: no school, staying up late, what's not to love?

There's swimming, playing with friends, and when it gets dark, chasing fireflies, star gazing and sleepovers. Staying up late is no problem when you can sleep in the next morning. 

And then school starts, and everyone is off schedule and off kilter and cranky.

We asked Patch readers on the Hartland Patch page how they transition their kids from all-bets-are-off summer sleep schedules to -go-to-bed-it's-a-school-night routines. Here's what they had to say:

Lance Glazier wrote: Start now and stick to it.

Cyndi Jamison Kenrick wrote: We savor every last minute of vacation and sleep in! We don't miss an opportunity to NOT wake up to an alarm clock. They are tired for a day or two but adjust with no problem!

Stefanie Furge wrote: Change all the clocks in the house...just kidding!

And here's some advice from some experts:

Gradually reintroduce earlier bedtimes: Work towards getting your pre-teen to bed by 8:30. That gives them 30 minutes to fall asleep and 10 hours to sleep by the time they have to get up at 7:00 a.m. If they need to get up earlier, they should go to bed earlier as well. For teens, aim for a 9:00 p.m. bedtime—which means no more late-night TV watching.
- Besthealthmag.ca

Look Beyond Bedtime: “If we approach sleep appropriately," Family psychologist David Swanson, author of HELP-- My Kid is Driving Me Crazy,  says, "we look at a kid’s whole day. If you want your kids back to sleep on time, have dinner at a set time and limit the computer, TV, and video game time,” he says. “You’re not just trying to get them back to bed, but into a routine.”
- webMD.com

Turn off electronics: To help your kids wind down, all electronics — TV, video games, computers, and cell phones — should be shut off an hour earlier. 
-everydayhealth.com

Be a role model: Set a good example for your child. Establish your own regular sleep cycle and maintain a home that promotes healthy sleep.
-sleepfoundation.org