Holiday Giveaway – Tips for getting your kids to bed on time.

The holidays are most definitely exciting, and stressful. This goes for CHILDREN as well as parents; a major point that parents must remember. It’s been a long time since I had to put the children to bed. St. Eve Kids and TwitterMoms have come up with a fun contest. Answer the question, “What are your five tips & tricks for getting your kids to bed on time and getting them to stay in bed?”

My boys are now 22 and 27. Thinking back, I found that the the number one thing that helped the children maintain their regular sleep schedule during the holidays was planning.

First, set a realistic schedule for each week in December. Don’t cram everything into one week. Being a Christian, I used Advent as my starting time. Set a time to tell the children about the activities of the week, when they are scheduled, and what you expect from them. Sunday morning was my preference.

Secondly, reaffirm the importance of sleep frequently. Interject this topic when discussing the weekly schedule.

Third, rearrange bath times or other nightly tasks to accommodate an event that might overlap. This seemed to help with everyone’s stress level.

Fourth, Don’t skip the nightly story or game. Whatever your normal bedtime activity is, don’t skip it! If it’s reading, then read even if it’s later than you expected.

Fifth, be consistent. If you say the bath has to be done before we go, then make sure that happens. I found that during the holidays, especially the week of, being inconsistent can greatly increase that stress level for both parents and children!

These are the things that worked for me, hope the will be helpful for you too. As I remember it, my boys adjusted to the holiday schedule quite well and got a good night sleep!

About St. Eve Kids and the contest:

The first 100 bloggers to post about their five tips & tricks will receive will receive a pink Cozy and an additional pink Cozy to giveaway to one of your lucky blog readers. Warm and cute, the Cozy is a snuggly blanket that has sleeves so your child can relax in comfort. Contest ends December 17th, open to US residents only. Winners will be contacted the week of December 21st – just in time for the holidays!

St. Eve Kids offers sweet, trendy under garments and pajama sets for boys and girls. All St. Eve Kids products are available in infant/toddler and kid’s sizes, at Bloomingdale’s, Macy’s, Nordstrom, Bealls, Kohl’s, Sears, and JC Penney. The cozy St. Eve Kids collection caters to the boy hoping to unwrap a pair of spaceship pajamas and the girl wanting to find the prettiest nightgown under the tree. The St. Eve Kids Cozys are one size fits most (girls sizes between 6-9).

SO, Do you want that additional PINK COZY? Share your favorite tip or trick for getting your kids to bed on time or getting them to stay in bed. Maybe we’ll both win! Be sure to include an email address in your comment.

For another St Eve Kids contest, visit LuLu, Marky, Peggy, and Franky, the St. Eve Kids at DramaU and tell them why you are a “Saintly” mom. You could win a year’s worth of sleepwear!