10 tips & tricks to manage holiday season
and protect good sleep away from home
Just like adults, some children can sleep like a log wherever they are and others are more sensitive to change and night time disruption. Planning ahead is the key to restful family sleep away from home
1) Pack all the essential items your child associates with sleep, such as their favourite teddy/comforter, familiar bedtime stories, recent bedsheet/pillowcase (these will smell just right), comfiest pjs and any other sleep aids they rely on. If they’re old enough, let them help you organise their special 'sleep bag' so they can make sure everything’s included. As soon as you arrive, encourage them to unpack their bag so it feels like home.
2) Find out as much as you can in advance about the place you’re staying. Will they be sleeping in their own room, sharing with a sibling or with you? Will you need a travel cot, bed guard, stair gate or monitor? Will you need to take travel blackout blinds?
3) If you've got a long journey, think about how you're going to facilitate naps with your baby or toddler so you can keep to their usual routine as much as possible. If your child doesn't normally nap anymore and you know that daytime snoozes make for bedtime battles, avoid them where possible or cap at just 15-20 minutes for a short power nap.
4) Make sure your child has time to acclimatise in their new room and calm down before bedtime. If it's all too exciting or their usual bedtime routine is rushed, this activation is likely to delay sleep onset and lead them to need more co-regulation with you. For example, prioritise bedtime stories if this is a key part of how you prepare for sleep together at home. If the routine has to change, let your child know beforehand and then reassure them it will return to normal tomorrow.
5) If your child feels anxious about sleeping in a new room independently, make sure they know where you’re sleeping. You could either reassure them by staying a short while close by outside or let them know that you'll check on them during the night when you go to bed.
6) Avoid late-night eating as this will fire up your child's metabolism, waking and heating up their body at a time when it's usually slowing down, cooling down and preparing for rest.
7) If you're going to bed later than your child and sharing a room, gather everything you need out of the room so
you can slip in with minimal disruption. Bring a portable white noise machine so you can mask any disrupting noise in their environment.
8) If your toddler has recently potty trained, take a potty for the bedroom rather than using an unfamiliar toilet. Remember that too much liquid close to bed will increase nightly wees.
9) For holidays abroad where the local time is just 1 or 2 hours ahead, you might want to keep your child on their home time zone so there's no adjustment there or back again. The benefits can be staying up a bit later in the evening, eating together at more adult times and potentially even having a lie in!
10) Troubleshooting saying goodnight when away from home
If your child feels anxious about sleeping in a new room independently, make sure they know where you’re sleeping.
You could either reassure them by staying a short while close by outside or let them know that you'll check on them during the night when you go to bed.
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