Travel is back!
It has been a long 15-16 months of being at home for many families…Any parent you talk to will echo those sentiments. It has felt like a very long time. There are so many things that have played into the challenging times but one thing in particular that has been difficult has been our inability to travel, especially to see family. Now that people are traveling again, parents are also wondering, how do I keep my kids sleep on track. I thought it would be helpful to share some general guidelines about travel and sleep.
Travel with children is possible, they can sleep well while you are away. Children who sleep well at home typically sleep well while away also. It is worthwhile, however, to help your child learn good sleep skills before traveling, preferably a good 2-3 weeks before your travel so that you have well established habits before you take them on the road.
Room darkening
First, before I forget and before they are sold out again, if you have a child who is still sleeping in a pack n play or a travel crib, and you have any travel plans, I highly recommend getting a Slumberpod (this link will give you a discount off your order). This is one of those things that I really wish had been around when my kids were little. All that time I spent making my children’s rooms dark while traveling…Ah, that is time I’ll never get back. Seriously, your child can be asleep in a brightly light hotel room in their Slumberpod and not know the difference. This is a game changer.
Don’t forget about your routines!
This is the beauty of routines, they are transportable. Your child knows what to expect at bedtime and knows it is time to go to sleep because you have created association by doing a bedtime routine. That familiar routine actually causes your child’s brain to start producing melatonin which is that hormone that allows your child to fall asleep and stay asleep. This is important for babies, toddlers and big kids. Even as grown ups we have our own bedtime routines that prepare our brains for sleep. While there may be some variation while you are away and clearly the environment is going to look different, the general “gist” of that routine is going to be familiar and create that comforting experience that makes for better sleep while away.
Don’t forget those security objects!
Security objects are a great way for your child to find comfort when separated from you for sleep. Never is this more important then when you are way from home. A little secret: my 2 kids are currently at sleep away camp now and even at 12 and 15, you had better bet that they took their blankies. No way they are going someplace where they have to sleep without it! There is so much comfort that comes from your child’s transitional objects. When you are traveling with your child’s security object, if you are flying, be sure to put it in your carry on luggage. It is never worth checking it in your luggage and showing up with lost luggage and no blankie. That is a very bad scene. Oh, and I learned the hard way a few years ago while on a trip and staying at hotel, if your child is sleeping in a bed, be sure to take your beloved security object out of the bed before you leave for the day because hotel cleaning people often fully change the sheets, rather then just making the bed. In our case, my son’s blankie went off to the hotel laundry, never to be found again. It was very sad. Fortunately, at 11 years old, at the time, he could manage sleeping without it. I would NOT want to think about what that would look like with a toddler.
Happy travels!