Is the thought of Halloween and its impact on your child giving you nightmares? Maybe the neighbours décor is already wreaking havoc with your child’s imagination. There is a particularly creepy clown hanging from a tree a few houses down from us. It’s not bothering my children, but I’ve been purposely crossing the street to get away from it this week!
Keep your child’s sleep on track the Halloween with these spooky sleep tips:
Setting the Stage
- Since there is a good change that your child will be up later than normal on Halloween night, I suggest including some extra quiet time in the afternoon. Even if your child doesn’t typically have a dedicated nap or quiet time anymore, some independent play can go a long way to conserving energy. Need some inspiration? Check out my Pinterest Board for quiet time activities.
- Encourage your child to select their favourite non-Halloween themed bed time book before heading out trick- or-treating. It’s best to try to avoid breathing life into anything they saw or heard while out earlier in the evening.
Food
- Pre plan for a nutritious and filling meal. If your child is full, then there will be less temptation to ask for a taste test while they are out canvassing for treats.
- Talk to your child a head of time to manage their expectations on how you plan to limit candy consumption (particularly once they get home on Halloween night). Remember that it’s important to let your child have adequate time to digest before bedtime. An overly full tummy can impact your child’s sleep. Managing these expectations in advance will help to avoid tears and bedtime battles.
The Wind Down
- Set aside some time for your kids to inspect their loot. If you want the candy to make a swift exit from the house, then ask your children to select a maximum number of pieces to keep for treats over the coming days or weeks. I’m also a fan of the switch witch. Last year my children left their candy outside of their bedroom door and the switch witch replaced it with a new sticker book.
- Your child is going to need some downtime. Even though it might be close to, or even past their bedtime, I would encourage you to not rush things. Keep their bedtime routine in place.
- While I think it’s important to not give a lot of credence to the existence of monsters, the logic doesn’t always work with children. If your child is concerned about the possible presence of monsters in their bedroom, you could include a few minutes to conduct a scan of their room to address their concerns. Another option is to use a calming mist such as the Before Bed Spray from Graydon to help scare monsters away.
After the Lights are Off
- If your child is in bed, then it’s time to tell the other ghosts and goblins that you a closed for business. Turn exterior and interior lights off. A few enthusiastic trick-or-treaters will probably still come knocking. My best advice is to just ignore them…and make sure that the sound machine is cranked a little louder than usual until the festivities are done.
- Expect the unexpected. Extra fatigue, combined with the excitement of the evening is a recipe for night wakings. A little extra comfort and support will go a long way to help you child get a good night’s sleep.
Do you think Halloween will have an impact on your child’s sleep this year?
What steps are you taking to help prevent distributions to their night?
Share Your Thoughts.