Start the New Year off right.. with SLEEP!
Sleep and New Year’s Eve rarely go together for adults. But it is possible to ring in the New Year without spending the next day with an overtired and exhausted super cranky child!
Here are our 5 TOP TIPS TO RING IN A RESTED NEW YEAR!
Respect Bedtime - Does your six month (or even 6-year old) really need to stay up late? Young children can’t tell time and they’ll have just as much fun (if not more) at 6 pm than they will trying to make through a late night party. Netflix even offers a countdown you can enjoy with your children earlier in the night! Simply search "World Party: New Year’s Eve Countdown" in the Netflix search bar to access the New Year's Eve specials at any desired time. You’re welcome! :) . If you feel the urge to keep your children up later than usual keep in mind that children do best with bedtime occurring within 30-minutes of their usual time and anything more than an hour later than usual is often met with some consequences! Remember, overtired children tend to have a harder time going to sleep, staying asleep and/or wake earlier than usual the next day.
Party hard - Exercise promotes quality sleep! And children are FULL of energy! Our favourite part about New Years Eve as a parent is turning on fun dance tunes and having a post-dinner dance off. Don’t fear the fun! Your children will settle just as well (if not better) than usual with fun and activity before bed. Then enjoy their usual bedtime routine and they’ll have a chance to wind down then. Have your camera ready to capture the fun memories (p.s. not suitable for babies under 4-months of age).
Sleepover - We get it! Just because you’re a parent doesn’t mean you want to miss the party! But your children need to sleep! So if you’re close enough with your friends who are hosting the annual bash ask them if you can stay the night so that you can put your children down for a full night of sleep and enjoy the party without having to worry about getting a sitter or being back at a certain time and you won’t even have to wake the kids! Plus you’re off the roads and you won’t need a designated driver if you’re busy toasting all of your hard work over this last year!
HOST- Think about inviting your friends and family over for an afternoon bash! Your children will have a blast and be ready for bedtime at their usual time having partied and enjoyed the experience. Sometimes thinking outside of the box is the best way to save your sanity and accepting a new normal can be liberating!
SET A PLAN to get back on track if sleep isn’t a priority on New Years Eve! Maybe you’ll go in with the best of intentions but the holidays just don’t go the way they should. If your little ones are cranky and overtired then set a plan to get back on track as soon as possible. Otherwise a week of missed bedtimes can move into two or three and the next thing you know sleep is really off track! But with a plan you’re more likely to get back on track.
And of course if sleep is never on track… book a free 20-minute sleep evaluation! We work with families with children 10 -weeks to 10-years of age and we’ve never found a little one that we can’t help! In as little as a few nights we could have your sleep 80% better or more even! We promise!!
Here’s to an amazing 2020 full of health, happiness and well-rested families! We raise our glasses in a toast to all of the amazing hard working parents out there!
Sending you sweet dreams!
Michelle, Tara, Kelly & Emily
The Bliss Wellness & Sleep Team