The holiday season is upon us! It’s a lovely time of year especially for children but it can also be fraught with over excitement and overtiredness. Between Christmas party’s and visiting family it can sometimes feel overwhelming and exhausting for parents.
We went to visit my family in the UK at Christmas a couple of years ago. After multiple visitors, wonderful food and fun activities, the end of the day was chaos! So how do you avoid these evenings of over tired chaos? Well the short answer is you can’t. But you can make it more manageable by planning ahead.
Top tips incoming!
The Do’s of Festive Sleep Hygiene
- Prioritize naps and bedtimes
While flexibility is part of the season, honouring your child’s sleep needs is key to avoiding overtiredness. Try to encourage naps at usual times. If you are out and about at nap time get them in the stroller, carrier or car and keep moving until they are asleep! Try to get home for bedtime and if this isn’t possible plan ahead and bring PJs for them to change into ready for a quick transfer to bed when you reach home. - Create a sleep-conducive environment
If you’re visiting family or staying overnight, try to recreate a familiar sleep environment. Bring along the same items you use at home to signal to your little one that its bedtime ie. Sleep sacks, teddys, sound machines etc - Schedule downtime
Overstimulation for children at festive time is 100% real and can be overwhelming. Plan for quiet moments between activities to allow your child to recharge. A relaxed afternoon at home after a busy morning can help reset overstimulated minds. - Prepare Family Members
Share your child’s general schedule and set very clear boundaries with family members from the get go! This helps set expectations from the outset and family gatherings can be adjusted slightly to accommodate your child’s routine, ensuring they stay rested and happy.
The Don’ts of Festive Sleep Hygiene
- Overcommit to activities
It’s tempting to attend every event or celebration, but doing too much can lead to overstimulation and meltdowns. Choose events thoughtfully and leave time for rest. - Skip wind-down routines
The excitement of Christmas or family gatherings can make it easy to forgo bedtime routines. Resist the urge to skip! Sticking to familiar bedtime rituals helps signal to your child that it’s time to sleep, even amidst the chaos and excitement. This will make the transition to sleep much easier. - Expect perfection
Sleep disruptions may happen, and that’s okay! Embrace a flexible mindset while focusing on getting back to routines as soon as possible. - Don’t introduce sleep associations on a regular basis
If you have a child who is sleeping well without any sleep association’s don’t be tempted to add them in just to get an overtired child to sleep more quickly. As a one off on travel days or very late nights it’s fine. However, if you do this for the whole festive season sleep will start to deteriorate rapidly. Stay strong, you got this!
Flexibility is key during the festive season, and it’s okay to enjoy some variation in routines. However, finding the right balance between festive excitement and good sleep hygiene will help your child enjoy the holiday season without becoming overtired or overstimulated.