Traveling with kids is a completely different experience than traveling without them. It isn’t a bad thing, it’s just different. There are more logistics to figure out, more things to pack, cost typically increases with more travelers, and your activity options are probably determined by the ages of your travelers.
For most parents, one of the first things they consider and one of the most anxiety-inducing travel factors is how it will affect their kids’ sleep schedule. Traveling can easily throw off a sleep schedule if you let it. Let’s talk about ways to prevent this from happening.
Changes that Affect Sleep
PEOPLE –
If you are traveling to see family or friends, this will probably be the thing affecting your kids’ sleep the most. Loved ones tend to want to spend every minute possible with your littles. You will express that it is naptime or bedtime and you will most likely be met with pleas to keep them up. Be ready to set boundaries and be confident when doing so. You know what your child needs and what is best for them. This will help ensure that you have the best sleep possible leading to the best trip possible!
ENVIRONMENT –
You will experience some easy to predict environmental changes while traveling like new spaces, new sounds, etc. Once you arrive at your vacation location, take some time to adapt to your new space. You should see how you can make the room as dark as possible. If you are sharing a room with your little one, see if there is a way to block their view of you from their sleeping space. The less opportunities to see you or try to get your attention, the better. If the closet is large enough and a safe space, it can be used for a pack-n-play. If your little one is used to a noise machine, be sure to pack it so that they can go to sleep listening to a known sound.
Sleep Training Before Traveling
If you haven’t started sleep training and you have a vacation planned in the next couple months, hold off on sleep training. Despite your best efforts, odds are that your family’s daily schedules will be affected while on vacation. Sleep training is a lot of work that requires consistency and there’s no need to put your family through the stress of throwing off your efforts.
If you need any additional guidance going into a trip, feel free to reach out! There are many potential issues for people to stress out over while traveling, don’t let rest be one of them. Fill your tool bag up and be prepared so that your family is well rested and ready to take on full days of fun!
