Keeping routine sacred

Routine is one of the most important things to ensure that your kiddo gets the proper sleep that they need. Go to bed as usual and wake up as usual. Keeping the same school schedule can help kiddos be productive with their work. If you have a bit of a commute, take walks in the morning or afternoon when you’d usually be on the bus or in the car.
Making sure that your routine is encouraged will help get your kiddos up in the mornings and be mindful of when it’s time to learn, play, and wind down.

End screen time earlier

Technology is making a lot of learning from home possible. It can also add a lot more screen time to a child’s day, especially if you’re learning on extra video game or cartoon time to get you through your work-from-home schedule.
If all that added screen time is butting up against bedtime, consider dialing it back in the evening to give your child some extra time to relax and calm down. Try extending storytime or introducing a jigsaw puzzle the whole family can assemble to help transition the kids to quiet rest.

Do the sleepy shake

All the excess energy that being stuck at home generates can be tough to burn off even with access to a yard or park. The low-level anxiety or stress your child might be feeling about virtual schooling may also be making drifting off to sleep difficult.
Make sure the kids are getting physical exercise when they have the opportunity. Take them out for bike rides or long neighborhood walks if you can. Promise them a quarter for every lap around the yard they can do. Can’t get outside? Add a few push-ups just before it’s time to brush teeth or have them run up and down the stairs so they can burn off those last bits of energy and wind down.

Don’t do homework from your bed

Beds are for sleeping, not for homework. Sometimes your brain and body can get confused when you do homework from your bed. Keeping places for work and sleep separately encourages healthy routines and ensure that the brain and body associate work and rest with the appropriate places.
We know, even though your bed is probably one of the places in the house where you feel most comfortable, it’s still a bad idea to do homework there.

Weighted blankets

If your kiddo needs a little extra help getting to sleep at night, try a weighted blanket. They can be an investment, but they are certainly worthwhile at helping kids fall—and stay—asleep.

Weighted blankets provide extra proprioceptive feedback that feels like getting gently hugged or cuddled, which can release hormones like serotonin and melatonin and can help kiddos drift off to dreamland. Remember: When purchasing a weighted blanket, make sure they’re about 10% of your child’s body weight + one pound.

Share your nighttime routines!

If you’re struggling with harder bedtimes thanks to the pandemic quarantine, know that you’re not alone. Families just like yours are switching things up to find what works for them in this situation, and something you’re succeeding at could make someone else’s night a whole lot easier. So if you have a tip or a routine that works for you, share it on the comments or in our Facebook group! Every story helps in its own way.