Children and Sleep: Back into the School Routine by Anja Hindrikx

Summer vacation is wonderful: going to bed later, no alarm clock, and plenty of freedom. But as soon as school starts again, many parents notice how difficult it is to get children and teens back into a healthy rhythm. Yet sleep is the foundation for learning, concentration, and mood. With some preparation and smart strategies, it is possible.

Why vacations disrupt sleep routines

Sleepovers, late evenings, and new habits make children stay up later and struggle to wake up. For teenagers, biology plays a role: their bodies produce melatonin—the sleep hormone—later, which makes them feel sleepy much later.

👉 Important to remember: this is not stubbornness or laziness, but a biological process.

Younger children: learning to fall asleep on their own again

After the summer, many children find it hard to fall asleep alone. Sometimes it’s because of scary stories, sometimes because they got used to sleeping close to their parents on holiday. This may look like “stalling,” but is often actually sleep anxiety.

What helps:

• Consistent routine: a predictable sequence of washing, reading, and bedtime.

• Sleep pressure: children who stay up a little longer often fall asleep more quickly.

• Coaching instead of crutches: help your child gradually experience that they can fall asleep on their own.

Teenagers: staying up late is biology

Teens are often only sleepy late at night. During vacation, this rhythm shifts even more. Simply “sending them to bed earlier” usually doesn’t work.

What does work:

• Morning light – daylight or a special lamp helps reset their internal clock.

• Small steps – every few days, shift bedtime and wake-up time 15 minutes earlier.

• Show understanding – cooperation works better than conflict.

Breathing exercises for falling asleep calmly

• Children (ages 6–12): Balloon Breathing
  Pretend you are inflating a balloon: breathe in through the nose (4 counts) and slowly exhale through the mouth (6 counts). Repeat 5 times.

• Teenagers (13+): 4-7-8 Method
  Inhale (4 counts), hold (7 counts), exhale (8 counts). Repeating this four times helps the body relax.

Helpful tools that can support sleep

• Moonbird (Moonbuddy) – a handheld breathing coach that guides a calm rhythm.

• Soothing sounds – white noise or nature sounds.

• Wake-up light or daylight lamp – ideal for waking teens naturally.

• Sleep diary – briefly note together how the night went; reduces worrying about “not being able to sleep.”

Anja created 2 playlists, check them out:

Playlist ‘Nature sounds for sleep'

Playlist ‘White noise for sleep'

 

If you would like to try a Moonbird or Moonbuddy, with the code HARAROOM you get a €10 discount.

 

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