Set back kids "clocks" to get them ready for school

If your kids are like mine, then the last few weeks have been a free-for-all of playing outside, hitting the beach, and enjoying every last drop of summer that August has to offer. But September is looming, and with it comes new, more rigid, schedules and a more demanding routine. It can be a difficult adjustment for some children, but parents can make it easier by easing kids into a new sleep schedule now, while school is still a few weeks away.

The National Sleep Foundation recommends gradually changing children's sleep/wake times about 10 days to 2 weeks before the start of school. They also suggest keeping a consistent bedtime routine, limiting electronics in the bedroom and 1/2 hour before bedtime, and helping kids to get plenty of good nutrition and exercise. Parents also make good role models, they say, so if your sleep habits need addressing, now might be a good time to start. Read more about the NSF's recommendations for kids and adults here, and help everyone in your home get a good night's sleep!