Preparing Little ones sleep for School

September is rapidly coming around the corner, which means there will be a few of you getting your little ones ready for primary school. Leading up to their new school, you will be getting new uniforms, school shoes, and lunch boxes, but have you thought about sleep?

When it comes to sleep, supporting your child's sleep before and during school time can be important. It can help support them with self-regulation, energy, concentration, as well as their overall mood and well-being.

Starting to create and highlight sleep before September can help take some of that stress away when going back to school, as it can be a new whirlwind experience. To suddenly think about sleep on top of it can be a lot. Here are a few things you can do to prepare for your little one going to school and their sleep, as well as what you can do for them when they get to school and supporting their sleep.

Prepping before September:

• Gradual Shift:
  Start adjusting your child's sleep schedule a week before school starts. Aim to move bedtime and wake-up times earlier by 15-minute increments every few days (moving from 8:30 to 8:15). This will help your little one not have a huge shock when starting school with a new early bedtime. Sometimes this can be overwhelming for them. It may be hard, especially if you are still not in a routine before the holidays have finished. But starting a week or even a few days before school starts can help support your little one's sleep quality.

• Nighttime Routine Magic:
  Re-jigging bedtime can sometimes help support your little one's sleep quality, and placing this into their bedtime routine before they go to school can help support them in the long run. You can add wind-down and intentional 1-1 time with them for just 5 minutes. This is to be able to let them talk about their day, spend some time with you, and hopefully aim to help them wind down, get things out before they fall asleep, and establish security and safety before sleep.

• Bedroom Bliss:
  Make sure your child's bedroom is a sleep haven. Keep it dark with blackout curtains or a sleep mask. Opt for a cool and comfortable temperature with breathable bedding. Minimize distractions by keeping toys to a minimum.

• Calming Activities:
  Self-regulation is a huge support when it comes to sleep. Adding in breathing techniques and slow stretches can help your little one wind down, regulate, and understand their feelings. Cosmic Kids is a great YouTube channel around creating fun yoga experiences for little ones.

Things you can do in September:

Power Down for Power Up: Having set time around screen time can be a great way to support little one in their new routine. Swapping tv shows to low stimulating shows can help with little one wind down and help with reducing over stimulation. A few Low stimulating tv shows: Bluey, puffin rock, Hey Duggee, Kipper, Julia Robison books

After-School Adventures: Having one boost releasing energy can help little one get out some extra energy and support them during wind down time. This could be going outside and having a run around, Yoga or imaginary play.

Communication is Key: Having time around bedtime to talk can help little one calm down and support them with falling asleep. Spend time chatting about your day as well as theirs. They usually gain bit of independence around this time so this will help them feel older, seen and heard.

Be Patient: Adjusting to a new sleep schedule can take time, especially after a summer break. Be patient and consistent with your efforts, and you'll see positive results soon. Make sure you look after yourself during this time and have things you can focus on and look forward too.