Every mum and dad knows that morning smiles from your children are one of the best things about being a parent. But sometimes even that beautiful, heart-melting, toothy grin can get a bit wearing when it’s five o’clock in the morning – for the umpteenth time in a row! Kids, bless their hearts, don’t seem to understand the concept of a lie in. Or indeed, any sort of staying in bed once their innocent and curious eyes pop open on a brand-new day. Throw in a change to the clocks and your little one’s sleep routine can be thrown right out!
Far be it from me, or any other parent, to dissuade their curiosity and joie de vivre, but sometimes, (and I know I’m not alone here) I wish it could be just an hour or so later. Especially if there’s been a bedwetting incident, a bad dream or any sort of sleep-removing incident the night before.
Because, as we all know, sleep is what makes the world go round.
Life is a bank, but sleep is the currency
You use sleep to barter with yourself, your other half, and your children. ‘Just half an hour more,’ or ‘go and play in your room’ are regular excuses we’re all guilty of trying.
Sometimes, bargaining works. After that first cuddle, they might toddle back into their room, where they’ll tunelessly sing until you cave in and bring them downstairs for sofa cuddles. More often than not though, they’ll lie beside you, chattering about everything and nothing. And as much as we all adore these moments with all our hearts, I’m sure that just a few minutes more in the arms of Morpheus would make us slightly less grumpy, and the day a bit easier.
When the clocks go back – encouraging a sleep routine
As happens every year, on Sunday 29th October at 2am the clocks will ‘fall’ back for winter. What seems like a small change can wreak havoc with sleep routines.
So, what can be done to try and manage the clock change? If you’re super organised you may well have introduced a change to bedtimes already. That way you can slowly manage the changes over a week or perhaps a weekend. If you haven’t, then make sure Saturday is an energetic, busy day. If you have babies that still nap in the day, it might be worth minimising those sleeps.
Enter Sam the Lamb Sleep Trainer
Another way you can introduce a better sleeping routine is with this charming new addition from ZAZU Kids – Sam the Lamb! It really is everything I’ve ever needed in bedside accoutrement. His eyes close when it’s time for bed, and open when it’s ok for your little one to get up. The new, updated version from ZAZU also includes a helpful ‘traffic light’ colour system.
Sam’s screen changes colour, helping even the youngest children to develop a sleep routine. They soon learn that if Sam’s eyes are shut, theirs should be too! And the additional ‘traffic light’ colour system means that if they do wake up before Sam, they know to stay and play quietly in their room until Sam is awake too. Perfect for helping you to steal that final 30 minutes of sleep in the morning!
I’m not saying that Sam the Lamb will make you an overnight sleep millionaire, but he may just allow you to start a small savings account.
What are your tips for encouraging your children to adopt a better sleep routine?
