After summer vacation, trips and late nights, it is important for children to return to their school routine in advance. Sufficient sleep helps them concentrate, learn and cope with everyday demands. Preschoolers may need up to 13 hours of sleep per day, younger adolescents 9 to 12 hours, and teenagers approximately 8–10 hours.
Experts recommend starting preparations one to two weeks before school begins. You can gradually move bedtime 15–30 minutes earlier each night or set an earlier bedtime right away. Before bed, it is best to avoid giving children heavy food and to turn off the television, phone and other screens about two hours beforehand. A shower, quiet reading and other calm activities can help them relax.
Natural light also affects sleep schedules. In the Seattle area, early summer sunrises and late sunsets can make it harder for children to fall asleep on time, so blackout curtains may be useful. In winter, daylight hours are noticeably shorter: sunrise usually occurs after 7:30 a.m., and cloudy weather can make waking up difficult. Consistent bedtimes and wake-up times, along with bright morning light—through a window or outdoors—help the body adjust to a new schedule.
Parents should take their child’s individual needs into account and discuss changes to the routine with them. Sometimes allowing a few extra minutes for reading before bed is reasonable, while a difficult morning after staying up too late can serve as a natural lesson. The important thing is to maintain reasonable consistency without turning back-to-school preparations into constant conflict.
Anxiety about the first day of school can make it difficult to fall asleep even when bedtime is early. Parents are advised to calmly find out what is causing the worry—for example, fear of a new school or meeting classmates—and to practice potentially stressful situations in advance. Washington state schools do not follow a single adjustment process: each school district sets its own schedule. However, many schools hold meetings for parents and new students, tours, orientation days, events for first-graders and children moving on to middle or high school, as well as meetings with teachers and preparatory programs.
Even if it was not possible to establish a perfect routine in advance, children usually adapt gradually. Parents are advised not to demand instant results, but to begin with manageable changes, remain calm and support their child. Adjusting to a school schedule can be difficult for the whole family, but consistency, kindness and attention to living conditions—including seasonal daylight hours—can make the process much easier.
Based on: How to reset your child’s sleep schedule for back-to-school season