'Tis the Season to be Sleepy: Top Tips for Keeping Your Kids On Track

Whether you're going by train, plane, or automobile, holiday travel can be hectic. There's traffic, long lines, and the most repeated question "Are we there yet?" ringing in your ears like a broken record. How do you stay in the holiday spirit without losing your mind? Get some sleep -- that is, get your KIDS, some sleep. 
 
However, keeping your kids on track isn't necessarily an easy task. We asked our expert Elizabeth Pantley, author of the The No-Cry Sleep Solution and The No-Cry Discipline Solution to weigh in. According to Elizabeth, making a sleep plan. Be proactive in making your trip decisions in regards to sleep-related issues, don’t just let things happen and get swept along – the result will be fussy, tired kids. The key to a happy day (and a happy holiday) is a good night of sleep. So stick with a plan as much as possible, but allow for some flexibility.

Here’s what can help make your trip more successful:
 
Travel & Sleep: Plan Ahead!
•  Plan around your child’s sleep personality. Does your child sleep well in the car? If  yes, plan your travel time to coincide with a nap or bedtime. If not, plan to leave immediately first thing in the morning. Don’t fool yourself into thinking your child will behave differently than usual just because it’s a special occasion.
 
•  If your child sleeps well in his car seat, dress him comfortably, take off his shoes, and give him a blanket and let him snooze. If you have a finicky sleeper, bring along plenty of toys, activities and snacks to keep your child happy.
 
•  No matter your child’s sleep preferences, try to break up a long trip with stops along the way. The longer your child is strapped in her seat, the more likely she’ll become fussy, and the less likely she’ll sleep when you need her to. If you’re on a long airplane or train voyage use the hallways for walks when your child gets antsy.
 

Traveling the zones: What about JET LAG?
When you add a leap across time zones you complicate sleep even more, since your child’s biological clock (which tells him when to feel awake and when to feel tired) is forced out of sync with the clock on the wall. The most important rule is: Be flexible and be patient! It can take some time for all of you to adjust to a new zone.
 
A few tips may help your child overcome jet lag more quickly:
•    Keep your child well-hydrated with plenty of water, milk, juice, or breastfeeding sessions. Have plenty of healthy, non-sugar snacks each day. Don’t use any over-the counter products such as those designed for jet lag, without your doctor’s approval and instructions. Many of these can be harmful to young children.
 
•    Switch to the new time as soon as you’ve left home. Powerful biological cues, such as the timing of meals and naps, plus exposure to daylight and darkness will help all of you adjust to the change in time more quickly.
 
•    Don’t let your child take excessively long naps at the wrong times. This will just prolong the adjustment. Keep naps to their regular length and wake your child gently. The excitement of the new environment will ease him out of sleep.
 
•    Watch the time! It’s so easy to miss mealtimes, naptimes and bedtime when you’re on vacation yourself. However, if you stick to your child’s usual routine you’ll be able to avoid any major meltdowns from a hungry, over-tired child.
 
•    No matter what you do, it will take a few days to find a new rhythm. Don’t over-schedule your first day or two, if possible. To avoid the fussiness of an out-of-sync child, give him a day or two to adjust to the new time zone before embarking on a full schedule of activities.