Last updated on September 26th, 2023 at 12:22 pm
With many families traveling in the coming weeks, many are thinking about how they will survive the disruption in their children’s sleep routines. As any parent agrees, a good sleep routine keeps everyone happy. So here are some tips to make sure that your little ones stay rested and happy even while vacationing overnight.
1. Make Sleep a Priority
A well rested child will sleep better and won’t fight sleep as much. If you allow your children go to sleep late or skip naps they are more likely to wake up through the night and wake up earlier in the next morning. Thus starts a vicious cycle of tired and cranky children. So have a set bedtime as close to their normal bedtime as possible, and don’t skip naps! Even if helping them get to sleep means a short car ride, a push in the stroller, rocking them in their carriers or cutting out on the day’s activities or celebrations for a quiet hour.
2. Have a Base Camp
Don’t stay at multiple different places. When visiting family, choose one place to stay. This way your children will not have to get used to a new place to fall asleep every day or two. If possible, ask family to come to where you are staying that way, putting kids down to sleep will be convenient and you can stick to a routine and still enjoy their company after you get the wee ones settled down in the next room.
3. Bring Familiar Items With You Wherever You Go
Make sure not to leave their favorite blanket or sleeping buddy behind. And make sure not to forget it when you go back home!
4. Use White Noise
White noise or a familiar lullaby will drown out unfamiliar sounds of a new place or the voices of others who are still visiting in the living room down the hall.
5. Keep Them in Their Own Beds
If you have finally gotten your kids to sleep in their beds and not invade your own anymore, don’t regress to having them sleep with you if at all possible. This may lead to protests when you get back home and the need to coach them back to sleeping in their own beds again. Instead use a cot, blow up mattress, or a couch for them to sleep on. If they must sleep in the same bed as you, make sure you talk about how this is a “special time” and that when you go back home they will be expecting to sleep in their own beds again.
We’re not saying it’s going to be easy, but these tips will hopefully lessen the chaos to some extent. We wish you many restful nights!
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