How To Get Your Kids Back On The School-Sleeping Schedule

Ah, summer time.

Stay up late! It's light out and there's no better time to enjoy the summer than those cooler evenings. And when it gets dark, chase fireflies, star gaze, have a sleepover.

Why not? You can sleep in the next morning, right.

And then school starts, and everyone is off schedule and off kilter and CRANKY.

How do you transition your kids back to a school-sleeping schedule, now that schools in Palo Alto start Thursday, Aug. 15?

Some parents start a week or two before school starts by easing kids into a proper bed time. Do the same with waking time. Go through clothes and school supplies to find out what they need. Clean their rooms and start setting up homework areas. If they fail to wake up at the proper time, a cup of water does the trick!

Others schedules don't change much during the summer. And some just go cold turkey. 

And here's some advice from some experts:

Gradually reintroduce earlier bedtimes: Work towards getting your pre-teen to bed by 8:30. That gives them 30 minutes to fall asleep and 10 hours to sleep by the time they have to get up at 7:00 a.m. If they need to get up earlier, they should go to bed earlier as well. For teens, aim for a 9:00 p.m. bedtime—which means no more late-night TV watching.
- Besthealthmag.ca

Look Beyond Bedtime: “If we approach sleep appropriately," Family psychologist David Swanson, author of HELP-- My Kid is Driving Me Crazy,  says, "we look at a kid’s whole day. If you want your kids back to sleep on time, have dinner at a set time and limit the computer, TV, and video game time,” he says. “You’re not just trying to get them back to bed, but into a routine.”
- webMD.com

Turn off electronics: To help your kids wind down, all electronics — TV, video games, computers, and cell phones — should be shut off an hour earlier. 
-everydayhealth.com

Be a role model: Set a good example for your child. Establish your own regular sleep cycle and maintain a home that promotes healthy sleep.
-sleepfoundation.org