How to help kids transition their bedtime as they get ready for back to school

CHICAGO (WLS) — As many families get ready to head back to school, some may be worried about getting their kids back onto a sleep schedule after a summer of staying up late and sleeping in in the morning.

Dr. Innessa Donskoy, a pediatric sleep medicine physician at Advocate Children’s Hospital, says now is the perfect time to help you child readjust back to their school year sleep schedule.

Dr. Donskoy said parents can start now by waking their child up 15 minutes early a few times a week until they’re back to where they should be.

But as children transition from their summertime to school sleep schedules, anxiety over the approaching school day may keep them awake at night.

She suggests scheduling in 10 to 15 minutes of “worry time” so that your child can process their worries during the day instead of having them build up at night.