Time goes by so fast, and before you know it, you are getting your little one ready for full day Kindergarten. This is a big transition for both child and parent. It’s certainly an exciting time, but there is the stress of change, and it can take time for your child to adjust to their new routine and to full-day school. Being a well-rested family can help make this transition easier, but that can be hard to accomplish when you are suddenly cutting naps on your daily napper.
Knowing When and How to Cut Naps Completely
My recommendation is to get your little one ready for full day Kindergarten before the first day of school actually happens. A few weeks prior to school starting, begin to eliminate sleep during the day so that your little one has a chance to get used to being up all day. You don’t have to cut out naps entirely. Even if you offer no naps just a few days a week, your child is already making the transition they need to. It is completely fine to take it slow.
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No Nap Tip! You can replace daily sleep with some quiet time. Allow your child to play quietly in their room instead of napping so that they can still get time they need to recharge throughout the day.
Bring Back Bedtime To Get Ready For Full Day Kindergarten
The start of full-day school is a major transition for your child. In addition to no longer sleeping throughout the day they are also possibly waking up earlier than usual due to the new school routine. And let’s not forget the busy days they will be having thanks to new school adventures. Making bedtime earlier for the first few months during this adjustment is key in allowing your child to successfully transition to their new routine. Also, make sure to include a nice calming bedtime routine. This will help your child prepare for sleep and provide attachment time between the two of you where you can check in with each other and catch up about the day.
Bedtime Tip! This is the age where you want to start communicating the importance of sleep and explain not just that they have to sleep but why they have to sleep. Establish a healthy relationship between sleep and your child by being consistent with their sleep rules and patterns and making sure they understand why these sleep steps are being done.
Use Weekends to Recoup and Rest
For the first few months after starting Kindergarten, it’s important to try and fit in plenty of downtime during the weekends so that your little one can take it easy and possibly fit in a nap if needed. Use your weekends to allow your child to rest up for the week ahead. Doing so will help ease the stress and possible sleep loss of their new Kindergarten routine.
This post was originally published on YummyMummyClub.ca
Alanna McGinn is a Certified Sleep Consultant and Founder of Good Night Sleep Site – a Global Pediatric and Family Sleep Team. She provides free child and family sleep support through Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. She invites you to join her sleep community as she works towards Good Night Sleep Site’s mission of a healthier rested family unit. For more sleep tips, subscribe to our newsletter and visit Good Night Sleep Site.
