Wherever your final destination is, most children aren’t used to sharing a room with their parents. In a new environment it’s downright impossible to adjust and get your little one to bed. It can be a frustrating night, but managing your expectations, preparing well, and improvising with what’s available can help you avoid sleep deprivation for your entire trip!
Shared Space
Some hotels don’t offer a suite with a separate room, and kids rarely will go to bed with the noise and light of a television on. Try to replicate what you do at home. If you use a fan, bring it or a white noise equivalent. There are apps you can download on a smart device and amplify using a glass bowl or cup. Darken the room, turn the temperature down.
Stay Active
Tire the kids out! Stay active during the day so they are ready to drop into bed when you get back to your temporary home. If your hotel has a pool, swimming before bed is a surefire way to have fun and get them worn out. They have fun and they sleep well- it’s worth booking a hotel with a pool for that reason!
Baby Monitor
Some children won’t sleep if they sense their parents nearby. Set up a baby monitor and go to the lobby or somewhere that is close by. You can hang out and read or talk while baby still gets the sleep they need. If the hotel has a nice bathroom, consider staying there if you need to be close.
Crib Placement
If you are in a place that offers a crib or have brought a portable crib yourself, position it somewhere that you won’t disrupt baby’s sleep. Those sectioned off areas in the room are perfect- the foyer by the door- if there’s enough distance they won’t hear guests in the hall; or the tiny alcove by the bathroom if the sink is separate. A little almost-room gives baby their own space to hopefully settle down and sleep. You can travel with an expandable curtain rod and shower curtain to create a privacy door between baby and the rest of the room, or strong duct tape and a travel clothesline with a sheet hung to divide the room in two.
CoSleeping
If you are sharing the bed with baby, create an enclosed space with makeshift rails. You can create a makeshift rail with pillows under the fitted sheet so they don’t move around. If you have a king size bed, you can comfortably sleep perpendicular to the headboard to give baby a wall to nestle into.
Keep Them Up
Everything is new and exciting, it’s harder to fall asleep in such a different environment than they are used to. Keep kids up later than usual while on vacation. Even if there is a time difference, push through it and keep them up!
Traveling is exhausting to begin, but kids especially need sleep. Prioritize them so you can enjoy your vacation!