Time goes by so fast, and before you know it, your little one is headed off to Kindergarten. This is a big transition for both child and parent. While it’s an exciting time, there is the stress of adjustment, and it can take time for your child to adjust to their new routine and full-day school. Being a well-rested family can help make this transition easier, but that can be hard to accomplish when you are suddenly cutting naps on your daily napper.
My recommendation is to prepare your little one for full-day school before the first day of school actually happens. A few weeks prior to school starting, begin to eliminate sleep during the day so that your little one has a chance to get used to being up all day. You don’t have to cut out naps entirely. Even if you offer no naps just a few days a week your child is already making the transition they need to, just slowly, and that’s okay.
No Nap Tip! You can replace daily sleep with some quiet time. Allow your child to play quietly in their room instead of napping so that they can still get the rest they need throughout the day.
The start of full-day school is a major transition for your child. Suddenly they are no longer sleeping throughout the day, possibly waking up earlier than usual in the morning due to the new school routine, and let’s not forget the busy-ness of they’re new school day adventures. Making bedtime earlier for the first few months during this adjustment is key in allowing your child to successfully transition to their new routine. Also make sure to include a nice calming bedtime routine to allow your child to prepare for sleep and provide attachment time between the two of you where you can check in with each other and catch up about the day.
Bedtime Tip! This is the age where you want to start communicating the importance of sleep and explain not just that they have to sleep but why they have to sleep. Establish a healthy relationship between sleep and your child by being consistant with their sleep rules and patterns and making sure they understand why these sleep steps are being done.
For the first few months after starting Kindergarten, it’s important to try and fit in plenty of downtime during the weekends so that your little one can take it easy and possibly fit in an afternoon nap if needed. Use your weekends to allow your child to rest up for the week ahead. Doing so will help ease the stress and possible sleep loss of their new Kindergarten routine.
I provide free child and family sleep support on my Facebook page. I invite you to join our sleep community as I work towards Good Night Sleep Site's mission of a healthier rested family unit. For more sleep tips please visit Good Night Sleep Site and visit me on Instagram and Twitter. Join our movement and #BringBackBedtime.
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