Bed Time for Kids Getting Ready for School

How & when do you establish bed time for kids getting ready for school? We start at minimum a full week before the 1st day of school.

Tomorrow is the big day.  The day I’ve been waiting for.  I can’t believe it’s actually here.  Am I ready?  Are they ready?


What is the big day you ask?  It’s the first day that we are practicing our “back to school” routine!  Tonight lights were out at 7.  Clothes are set out.  Breakfast bowl and glass are out.  Alarm is set for 5:30 for me.  And most importantly coffee pot is set.

Bedtime for Kids

I’m going to spend these last days before the 1st day of school (August 22nd)to prepare my daughter for her new school time schedule.  This year is a big year for her.  She’s switching from a somewhat informal preschool that began at 8:30 to a school she’ll attend for 10 years that requires the kids in their classroom by 7:30.  She has a uniform, a new lunchbox and a ridiculously anxious set of parents.

Last week I asked you for ideas on getting ready for the new school year.  Your comments were inspiring, especially learning how Angela will not only take on her own 5 and 3 year olds, but a friend’s 5 year old!

The wake up time and good night time are the 1st battle of the school time routine that I’m committing to getting squared away.  Understand that tomorrow isn’t the 1st time we’ve gotten up early, or tonight the 1st time we’ve gone to bed before the sun.  These last few weeks I’ve slowly adjusted bedtime.  I’ve served her dinner a little earlier, started the brush your teeth & go pee pee a little earlier too.  Nothing that was sudden or a big change from the day before, just a little bit early on both ends.

Why would I do this?  Why would I recommend Smart Mamas to follow suit?  A few reasons.

How to Establish a Bed Time for KidsSmart Mama Tip

  1. Think of anytime where you had to wake up earlier than normal for whatever the reason, maybe to catch a flight or for an important work meeting.  How stinkin’ tired were you with that atypical wake up time?  Making the school time bedtime more of a typical time can avert that groggy, exhausted feeling we’ve all experienced.
  2. Tied into my earlier explanation, our bodies have internal clocks.  We know that all too well when we naturally wake up at 6 AM on a Saturday, even though we have the opportunity to sleep in.  Kids have body clocks too, although as they approach their teen years they’ll be able to sleep to noon.  Oh, how I remember those days.  Adjust your child’s body clock to what it needs to be, but do so gradually.
  3. It’s still practice time.  You’re child will be able to “suffer the consequences” of not following the bedtime routine the following day without having to actually face the teacher, school assignments and more.

Ok Smart Mamas, I’m setting this task on you.  I want you to review your bed time for kids in your home.  How will you need to adjust before school?  How ahead of the 1st day will you begin?

What’s your “been there, done that” experience with bedtime and wake up adjustments for back to school?  Share!  We would all love to learn from your experience!

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