Saturday Sleep Tip

Sometimes your child/children have to take a nap or go to sleep at someone else's house. This may be a one time occurrence; it may be something that happens when you go to dinner at someone's house; it may be that they take naps at Grandma's house when you go to work. Whatever the circumstances, my advice is basically the same...

• Try to get babies/kids used to this earlier in life- don't be afraid to put them down at someone else's house when you are out and it is naptime.
• Create as similar of a sleep environment as possible: dark room, sound spa/white noise, pack n play, whatever they sleep with. (I have been known to cover brighter windows with blankets (pushpins are handy for this), use tape and aluminum paper...).
• If someone else is going to put your child down for a nap it helps if you have put them down there before.

*If a child is more familiar with a location going to sleep will be easier.
*Babies may cry as a way of complaining that this isn't their bed. They may just have to cry- it doesn't mean that they aren't tired and shouldn't go to bed there. Setting the expectation that they are going to sleep there is a good idea.
*For older children, you can explain the situation. You may also want to make sure the room is kid proof. I know of kids that have gotten into candles and made messes. My own children have scattered my mom's dresser contents all over the place.
*Being able to sleep in another location is a great idea- saves on babysitter costs, makes traveling easier, makes babysitters and daycare transitions easier, makes it easier for grandparents or others that watch your children, makes children portable and makes it so you aren't always homebound.