Back to School and Back to Sleep: How to Get Your Child Back on a School Sleeping Schedule

As parents and their children enjoy their last few weeks of summer, school is looming right around the corner. Now is the time to get back into a school sleeping schedule, after having such a lax sleeping schedule over the summer months. According to the Federal Citizen Information Center, adequate sleep will boost your child's energy and enthusiasm and can also help your child learn more easily and may reduce behavioral problems. Children between the ages of 6 and 9 require at least 10 hours of sleep per night and older children require at least 9 hours.

Here are a few ways to get your child in the school sleeping schedule:

Create a regular bed time and make sure you and your child stick to it. Make sure your child avoids eating a heavy meal before their bed time. Make sure your child avoids caffeine at least 6 hours before their bed time. Allow for play and relaxation time before their bed time. However, make sure this a calm and relaxing time, meaning no TV or video games Set up a bedtime routine possibly including a bath, a snack, or a bedtime story. According to healthcentral.com, laying out the next day's wardrobe could also be a part of the routine.

It's also helpful to realize that each child's approach to sleep is different. Some take extra time to fall asleep, while others may wake more during the night. After a little trial and error you should be able to successfully find the sleep routine that best suits your child and family.

All of these pieces of advice will help to make the transition to a school sleeping schedule a smooth one for you and your child.