The July-August vacation is almost over and your teen is still staying up late and not waking up before midday. You are now worried about what’s going to happen when school reopens. Well, it’s about time you take action and try to help him or her to change his or her routine. As much as he or she may resist, in the end, it will make the transition from vacation to school a lot easier and will leave your teen feeling less sleep-deprived.
Remember, lack of sleep can make it hard for teens to take in the information they need to learn at school. Here are some steps that you can follow to get them back on track.
Don’t wait
At least two weeks before school starts is a good time to start cracking down on the sleep schedule. Try planning fun activities during the day that will encourage them to get out of bed in the morning and get them to go to bed earlier.
Make small changes
Don’t expect change overnight. Do not get frustrated if your teen slips up and gets out of bed late one day. Give them time to adjust to the change and start early enough so it’s not as drastic as it may seem.
Keep electronics out of the bedroom
This may be a battle, but you can bet your bottom dollar that once you say “lights out” your teen will be up using a phone, laptop or tablet, playing games or chatting on social media. A good strategy can be to charge all the electronics at night in one place. Charge all in one room, like the living room, to avoid temptation.
Keep them active
Planning daily activities that keep them active throughout the day is a great way to get your teen tired, ultimately encouraging him or her to get to bed earlier. However, you should slow things down a few hours before bedtime to help them wind down.
Encourage your teen to have a night-time ritual
This puts the mind in the right space to unwind and go to sleep. For the girls, it can be a night-time skin care routine. For the boys, try preparing them or the day to come, whether it’s packing their clothes for football or cricket, or making sure all of their books are ready for the upcoming term.