Should you let your kids stay up later than their normal bedtime on the weekends?
My children are night owls. One of our biggest struggles (right next to homework) is enforcing the bedtime. Every night they beg, plead and cajole to stay up another half hour. As soon as my husband and I have convinced them we mean business and have tucked them in, the chaos begins.
No sooner do we get back downstairs do we hear them jumping on their beds, throwing things, talking loudly to each other, singing and of course fighting, smacking and inevitably, crying. All of this is interspersed with either my husband or myself going upstairs to threaten and raise our voices. The entire gong show takes about two hours.
Those are two hours of our lives we will never get back.
Even if I leave them be, close my door and pretend I can’t hear the hooligans, I’m aggravated and stressed out. And let’s be honest, I am just not that person who can let the kids run amok. I must yell. Even if it gets me nowhere.
Simple Tips to get your Kids to Sleep On-time this Summer
Avoid sugary drinks: Kids need to drink during the summer heat and the first thing they tend to go for from the fridge is juice or soda. Replacing those sugary drinks with water, especially before bed-time is essential to getting them to bed on time.
Upgrade to a more comfortable mattress: Kids will naturally enjoy sleeping more, if their mattresses are designed for comfort. Try upgrading their mattress to a newer model that is designed specifically for kid’s comfort. You can find reviews of the best mattress-in-a-box on Bedding-Directory.com.
Removing distractions: The attention span of kids is very short and they get distracted very easily, especially if they have a smartphone or TV in their bedroom. Removing them from their view and reach will surely help them get to sleep earlier this summer.
Set the mood for sleep: Finally, you should start getting them into the habit of certain tasks right before they sleep. This can be having them change into their sleep pajamas, brushing their teeth and flossing or reading them a bed-time story. These habits will begin their mind to get into sleep mode and help them fall asleep much easier.
Once the Kids are Asleep
Once they are asleep, they won’t wake up for 10 hours. So on Friday nights and Saturday, they get to stay up an hour and a half later than their usual bedtime. Some nights we all watch a movie together or play games. Other nights the girls want to make a giant fort in the living room and stay up painting their nails and reading books to each other. None of us are really morning people and after a week of having to get up to an alarm set to 6:45 a.m., it’s nice for us to sleep-in. Or even better, to let them sleep-in and we get up earlier to enjoy the quiet.
