A Surprising Hack for Better Sleep for Kids

Just in time for back-to-school bedtimes, I channeled my 5-year-old self for this sleep tip for kids

by Tzivia Gover

I admit it: I was a quirky kid. In addition to being among the pickiest of picky eaters in my entire elementary school and beyond — I also loved school (even homework), and I looked forward to bedtime. But as a mother and as a Certified Dreamwork Professional who listens to parents talk about their problems getting their kids to turn off their games and get ready for bed, I get it: Back-to-school and bedtime are two things kids generally want to avoid.

But kids need sleep more, and they need more of it than adults do. School administrators nationwide, including some in my home state of Massachusetts, are waking up to this fact and mandating later school start times for middle and high school students. So, as summer winds down and we prepare for back-to-school schedules, it’s the perfect time to revisit bedtime routines for the whole family.

Illustration © Vivian Mineker.

In addition to the basics of bedtime best practices (unplug devices and start to unwind an hour before bedtime, make the bedroom an oasis of coziness and calm, and stick to a regular schedule for going to sleep and waking…