Taking the Scary out of Halloween night
How to Avoid a Frightening Bedtime Experience with Your Little One this Halloween
By Kate Curry
Halloween: scary decorations, tons of candy, lots of excitement, late night, costumes, changes in schedule…. what could go wrong with bedtime?
The idea of putting your little one to bed on Halloween night can be downright frightening. Halloween is one of those days, where as a parent, you trying to balance between having a lot of fun and avoiding disaster.
So I’ve put together some tips to help you manage one of the spookiest bedtimes of the year.
Start Well-Rested: Knowing that this is going to be a big day, be sure to plan for some restorative sleep earlier in the day.
- Be sure to focus on the first nap of the day. If possible, do the first nap at home in typical nap conditions.
- Naps on the go (car/stroller) are less restorative so the next nap time or bedtime may need to be moved up to prevent an overtired little one.
- Try to fit in a nap or quiet time for toddlers/preschoolers before Halloween really gets going to set a rested foundation for all the fun.
- Chocolate contains caffeine (the darker the chocolate the more caffeine!)
- Eating in excess can lead to tummy aches and difficulty in digestion which will make it hard for your little one to fall and stay asleep.
- Setting limits (on candy) is healthy and developmentally appropriate. (And leaves some for you to choose from!)
“May the time you spend on your child’s Halloween costume make you feel less guilty about eating half of their candy.”
Be Wary of Scares: Halloween is full of things that could potentially be scary for your little one. Although not everything can be avoided, knowing your little one (and what scares them) can help you avoid some scares, especially close to bedtime.
- Visit houses with scary decorations early on or when it’s still light out.
- Avoid scary movies and all screen time 60 minutes prior to bed.
- Talk to your child about things that scare them during the day. Try to avoid these conversation during bedtime routine and focus instead on how safe they are in their bed/house/crib.
Set up the Environment for Success: Keep your consistent sleep environment.
- If you feel the need to add a nightlight (for children who ask for one, babies do not need one), use one in the red color spectrum
- Use white noise to drown out outside Halloween noises/parties/ older children
- Turn off loud doorbells or turn off your porch light to avoid a wakeup from a loud, late night trick or treater.
Early Bedtime: For any parent who needs to hear this, it is okay to use an early bedtime on a special occasion. It is tempting to think you should let your child stay up late on these special days, but what kind of awake time are they going to have?
If your child is not a sensitive sleeper, then they may be able to stay up late and have a good time. However, if your child is the type to get overstimulated by big days then staying up may just mean temper tantrums, crankiness, and no fun for everyone.
Early bedtime may be needed if:
- Naps were short or missed.
- Sign of crankiness/ tiredness around 4:00-5:00.
- Meltdowns start to happen more frequently than usual.
Bedtime Routine: The bedtime routine is always important, but this is especially true on big days. Although it may be tempting to skip it or rush it on Halloween, don’t be fooled!
- Begin to try to wind down 30-60 minutes prior to bed with dim lights, calm voices, and no screens.
- Use a 20-30 minute calming routine to prepare your little one for sleep.
- Avoid talks of scary things and instead focus on safety and connection.
It’s great to have fun, special days with your little one. However, it’s also important for everyone to continue to stay healthy and well-rested.
And even if you have the best intentions but bedtime still goes completely sideways on Halloween, just pick up with your usual routine the following day. Although tempting, don’t let your little on sleep in too long so as to throw off their whole schedule. And use an early bedtime the day after Halloween if you notice your little one is dragging. You’ll be back to your regular sleep soon.
What’s your best Halloween tip? Share in the comments!