The holiday season is a wonderful time for family, friends
and good cheer, but all the visiting can leave us feeling a
bit frazzled by the time it’s over. It can also play havoc
on our children’s sleep schedules and turn a once-sleeping
baby into an overtired zombie!
Here are a few tips to help you keep things on track for the
holidays:
* The biggest pitfall people run into when they travel is
over-scheduling themselves. There are so many people and
places to visit that after a few days your baby has missed
most of their naps and bedtime has been hours earlier or
later than your little one is used to. Some children handle
this upset to their schedule pretty well and make due with
“car naps” and late bedtimes, but others can have a compete
meltdown within just a couple of days!
I travel with my children all the time, but there is one
“golden rule” that I never break — and that is I keep to
their sleep schedules no matter what. If Aunt Betty wants to
see the kids, then she needs to come at a time when they are
not napping or in bed. It’s as simple as that. Now of
course, the odd family member might snicker at my
inflexibility, but I know that my children’s sleep needs
have to be a top priority — and I protect it everywhere we
go.
* Time changes can be a bit of a problem when traveling. If
you are going away for more than 3 days, then it’s better to
adjust your child’s schedule to the new time as quickly as
possible. They may need an extra nap here and there to
compensate, but adjusting quickly is better than trying to
stick to your home time.
* Try to keep things as close to home as you can. So if
your child has their own room at home, then they may need
their own room when they travel as well. (Our boys have
spent the odd night in a laundry room here and there!) At
the very least they should have their own bed and not be
sharing one with you IF that is not what they are use to. A
few nights in bed with you and you could find yourself “bed
sharing” with your child for weeks or even months to come.
* Make sure you bring all the comforts of home such as your
child’s favorite blankets, pillows, and stuffed sleep toys.
This will make your child comfortable and keep the bedtime
environment as close to home as possible.
* Some children test the boundaries when they are somewhere
new. “Maybe the rules are not the same at Grandma’s house,”
they think to themselves.
This may mean that there is some crying or protesting at
bedtime, which may be unusual for your child. Don’t panic,
it’s just a test! Go ahead and check on them a few times to
reassure them that everything is fine and it’s just time to
sleep, but DON’T start bending your sleep rules too much! A
night or two of “testing the waters” and finding that the
rules haven’t changed should reassure your little one, and
the result should be a pleasant’s night sleep for everyone.
Happy trails, bon voyage, and sleep well!
Dana Obleman (http://www.sleepsense.net) is a professional infant sleep consultant and is the author of “The Sleep Sense Program: Proven Strategies For Teaching Your Child To Sleep Through The Night.” She has helped thousands of families develop a gentle, step-by-step sleep program for their children, and is able to guarantee the success of her methods. Get a FREE sleep assessment for your child when you visit http://www.sleepsense.net