While Christmas this year is set to be very different, one thing that will remain the same is the excitement of children desperate to see what Santa has brought them on Christmas Day!
Getting children to bed on time, and encouraging them to stay in bed and not wake up at the crack of dawn is NOT going to be easy!
However, Lucy Shrimpton, sleep expert and Founder of The Sleep Nanny® (www.sleepnanny.co.uk) is on hand to share her top pieces of advice:
- Limit sugary foods. Your cupboard may well be full of lovely Christmas treats and your tree hanging with delicious chocolate and candy canes – all temptations for our little ones. And for some reason, we allow children way more than we allow ourselves so just be careful of this, as if they’re having treats close to bedtime, that sugar can create an adrenaline rush just as they’re meant to be calming down for bed. Be particularly mindful of this for children aged four and up who have the most successful powers of persuasion!
- Avoid over-tiredness. While it can be tempting to want to keep children up later and later each night over Christmas, this will only cause over-tiredness. When a child is over-tired this means they won’t be able to sleep properly in the night or they might wake up earlier than normal – just what you don’t want if you’ve got a busy day of cooking and entertaining!
- Avoid too much screen time close to bedtime. Christmas movies are one of the best things about Christmas but do your best to give children around an hour of no-screen time before they go to sleep and at least half an hour before getting ready for bed. Try reading a Christmas story to them in bed instead.
- Stick to your routine steps wherever you are. So, if you’re staying over at your family’s house in the allocated time that Boris has allowed us to, try to stick to your sleep routine. Nap during the day at the time they are used to and make sure they go to bed at the same time each night. Have the same sleep cues you have when you’re at home so that they know that bedtime’s coming.
- Stick to YOUR rules. If your family has a set time when you can start the day, stick to it. Just because it’s Christmas, it doesn’t mean they can start waking up at 5am and if you allow them to for a few days, this will only cause confusion and potential disobedience, particularly in younger children who don’t understand your logic. If you don’t stick to your rules, your child will not take them seriously for the rest of the time so, as hard as it might be, try to stick to your rules and routine – you’ll thank me when New Year is here!
The Sleep Nanny® has just launched a brand new online sleep programme called Dream Maker, aimed at new parents struggling to help their children sleep through the night - https://www.sleepnanny.net/dream-maker-program.
Neatly packaged in an online portal, it is full of expert guidance and support, sleep diagnostics and sleep training. It focuses on overcoming challenges, night weaning, nap training, and advice on staying on-track for the long-term. And, alongside the portal, clients are supported via an online private group and weekly Q&As, as well as one-to-ones for certain packages.
About The Sleep Nanny®
Lucy Shrimpton is an author, speaker, trainer and mother of two who knows first hand what it’s like to feel extreme sleep deprivation and face challenges with infant sleep. Lucy’s extensive learning in sleep consulting is accredited by The Royal College of Nursing and The Royal College of Paediatric & Child Health.
Through The Sleep Nanny Academy™ Lucy trains people to become certified sleep consultants and continues to mentor in her graduate programme. Combining insights from psychology, sleep, parenting and wellness, Lucy is able to help parents all over the world to live happy, healthy and fulfilling lives.
Lucy also has a very popular podcast – The Sleep Nanny Show where she interviews well-known parenting entrepreneurs and influencers about their experiences and gives advice.
For more information visit www.sleepnanny.co.uk / @sleepnannyofficial (Instagram)
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