Article written by: Jenny Peach, Certified Child Sleep Consultant
As the holidays approach, events and travel will soon fill our calendars. If you have younger children, especially those that still nap, this may feel daunting as their sleep routines are about to be disrupted. Holiday parties and visiting family can often lead to missed naps and later bedtimes. You may be wondering, how will I maintain my baby’s nap schedule? Or, should I keep my child up later for a holiday party? Here’s how you can maintain your child’s sleep and still have fun this holiday season.
Prioritize Sleep When you Can
On the days that you are home with no plans to travel, prioritize your sleep schedule and ensure your child is well rested. Starting with a good foundation of healthy sleep can help prevent your child from becoming too overtired or too disrupted when they miss a nap or have a late bedtime.
When you are travelling or visiting family and friends, prioritize the sleep of your more sensitive sleeper. If you have a child that is more sensitive to sleep, try to plan your day around their sleep schedule so they are getting full naps on time and an appropriate bedtime when possible. Your more sensitive sleeper may have a harder time missing naps than your less sensitive sleeper.
This can also apply when you have a young baby and an older child. A younger baby will often be affected more by a lack of sleep than an older child. Toddlers who are on one nap can often handle a missed nap better than a baby who is missing multiple naps or who are expected to take all naps on the go. When you can, try to plan your visits around your baby’s nap schedule, or arrange to have your baby nap on the go or in a pack ‘n’ play in a dark room where you are visiting.
Bring your Sleep Environment
If you plan to have your child nap while you are visiting with friends or family, try your best to bring your conducive and familiar sleep environment with you. First of all, always focus on safe sleep. Make sure your child is sleeping in a sleep space that is safe and certified for sleep. This could be a crib, bassinet or pack ‘n’ play. Second, make the room as conducive to sleep as possible. Darken the room as best as you can. You can bring portable black out blinds if the room does not have them. If you don’t have a portable blind, garbage bags and painters tape work well and are a great temporary solution. Third, make your sleep environment as familiar as possible. If you use a white noise machine, bring it. This can help drown out any sounds that may wake your child. Bring a crib sheet from home, and use the same swaddle or sleep sack you have been using. Don’t skimp on the nap or bedtime routine. Follow as many of the same steps from your nap or bedtime routine as you can. It’s ok if you skip a bath, but keep the bedtime books and songs. Your child’s sleep routine is what will help cue their body that it is time to sleep.
Say No or Leave Early if you have to
Many of us feel pressured to say yes to every invitation during the holidays. Sometimes, missing a nap or offering your child a later bedtime may not be worth it to you. If you have a sensitive sleeper and you cannot deviate from your schedule, it's ok to say no or leave early if you have to.
Follow the 80/20 Rule and Have Fun!
The 80/20 rule is a guideline we like to stick to when it comes to your child's sleep. 80% of the time we prioritize sleep and stick to our sleep schedule. 20% of the time a nap may be missed or a bedtime may happen later than normal. It's ok. Enjoy your time at a holiday party or visiting with family, and get your sleep schedule back on track the next day. The holidays are often busy and the deviation from your child’s normal schedule can be tough on them. Understand that they may become a little overtired and the lack of sleep mixed with the holiday fun can affect your child’s mood. Expect to see a few bumps along the way and try to have fun! Follow the advice above to make your holiday experience a little easier.
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Jenny is a Certified Child Sleep Consultant with Good Night Sleep Site. After hiring a sleep consultant to help with her own daughter's sleep, her experience has led to a desire to help other families who are struggling with sleep. She focuses on working 1:1 with families to create a customized sleep plan following the science of sleep, taking into consideration the child's temperament and parenting philosophies.
You can reach Jenny via her website, Instagram, Facebook or Email.
