It can be tempting to keep your child up later, particularly as most children show some resistance to going to bed before it’s dark. And who can blame them? They have spent all winter going to bed as it gets dark and all of a sudden we change the rules! Later and lighter evenings can make it difficult to explain to your child that it is indeed bedtime!

However we should try and keep some kind of routine in place, making sure our children are still getting adequate sleep time.

• Keep your child’s normal bedtime routine in place – whether that includes a bath, a story or perhaps a bedtime drink.
• Blackout blinds or curtains with a heavy lining can be a simple solution in helping convince your child to settle for the night – this will help with those early mornings that come hand in hand with lighter evenings.
• Give your child some time to settle after a busy day outside playing with their friends or siblings. One of our favourites is Relax Kids cd with particularly relaxing music and meditations to help children sleep.
• Consider changing bedtime, sometimes just half an hour will help your child by making them feel more grown-up and ultimately they may be asleep far sooner without any tears.
• Explain to your child how the seasons change and why the summer days are longer.

Sleeping and holidays

Now there are not many of us that keep to the routine when we are on holiday. Particularly if we are lucky enough to be in the sun; with late nights by the pool and BBQ’s. And as far as we are concerned that’s what holidays are all about. But do remember it can be confusing to your child’s body clock and may have disrupted their sleep pattern, a normally willing sleeper may suddenly find it impossible to sleep at half past seven when they have spent two weeks staying up late and lying in every morning. (Have to point out here that my children managed many of the late nights but failed to ever have a lie in, that is of course apart from the teenagers!)