You’ve probably heard other parents talk about letting their kids stay up later in the summer or having a “summer schedule”. This may sound great to you since the days are longer and you want to enjoy more evenings with your kids!
But would a later bedtime or summer schedule actually work for your family? It depends. The main question to ask yourself is: What do our mornings and days look like following a late night(s)? If you still have to get a child to daycare, summer school, or camp, and there’s no room to squeeze in a nap, or the day is full of activities, then I recommend you stick to a normal bedtime as much as possible during the summer. There’s still room for summer evening fun, don’t worry! Keep reading. :)
If your schedule is flexible, shifting to later nights and later mornings are a great summer option!
If your summer days are flexible and there’s a possibility for your child to start to sleep a little more in the morning or get a longer nap or have quiet time, then it’s definitely ok to shift to a later schedule!
Regardless of what time you push bedtime back to, your child needs the same amount of sleep. (Refer to my sleep basics post) It’s not likely that children under the age of 5 will sleep in later the morning so they will need to catch up during a nap (yes it’s great offer a nap at any age…I’d love a nap most days! Ha.) or have an early bedtime the following day. On those long, sunny summer days, keep your bedtime routine consistent and their bedroom very dark to help encourage a nap or earlier bedtime. If as a result, your family can adjust to an entirely later schedule and your child starts to sleep in, great! Enjoy it until you need to re-adjust for daycare or school again.
It's important to remember that if you do not ensure your child gets enough hours of sleep in a 24 hr period, you will definitely see overtired, fussy behavior and nighttime sleep disruptions. This does not make trips or summer adventures very fun.
1 or 2 late nights and a little sleep catch up afterwards...you're still in a good zone!
It takes 3 days for a new sleep habit to become a sleep cycle. So if you have 1 or 2 late nights and catch up the following day, you’re still in a good zone. By day 3, an internal sleep cycle starts to become one that will take longer to break.
Now back to summer fun…have it and enjoy some magic in the evenings with your little one! Whether that’s looking for crabs at night on the beach, evening family walks, or a extra fun on vacation one night…do not let your schedule hold you back!
Squeeze in some naps, keep the 3 day rule in mind, and keep your bedtime routine consistent.
The Blueprint: Flexibility during the summer = ok to shift to a summer schedule. Same schedule all year = stick to a normal bedtime the majority of the time while squeezing in some nighttime fun and having a plan on how to catch up on sleep.
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