...shock your child's sleep schedule back to school times

The total body shock of waking up early for school--a topic that weighs heavily on most parents' minds in the final days of summer before the school year starts. It's so easy to let them sleep in while you enjoy a nice, quiet house in the morning, isn't it? But the time is upon us. School is right around the corner. Our children must join the rest of us in experiencing the early morning hours again.

Every parent has tried the "ease into it" method (shifting the sleep/wake times gradually), but who wants to drag the argument (But the sun's still up, Mom!) out that long? Here are 3 quick and easy ways to get the job done fast:

1. night start
This ranks highest with the unpleasant factor. Decide one night that bedtime is no longer 10:00, it is now 8:00. Yes, shark week has just started. Yes, friends are still outside. Yes, parents don't know what it means to be a kid. Blah, blah, blah. You've heard it all because you said it when you were their age, too. More important things are at stake here for a parent to consider--like getting your kid out the door that first day! Forget about those tired arguments yelled from the bedroom door. Stick to your guns and eventually your child will get bored with the one-sided fight and find something else to do--maybe even sleep!

2. morning start
Let your child go to bed at his/her normal time. Be sure he/she knows that you will be setting the alarm and expecting a 6:00am wake up time in the morning. Your child will first scoff at the idea, then assure you that the early rise time will not be a problem (and probably decide tonight's the night to watch a movie that starts at midnight). OK, no problem, let the night continue as is. Be sure you stick to your plan. You said 6:00am, so 6:00am it is. You will face resistance, be strong, be consistent, keep a smile on, be a "snooze" button returning every 5 minutes, and your child will eventually get up. Once your child is up, insist he/she takes a shower, brushes teeth, eats breakfast and gets dressed--this will help ensure they truly wake up and start the day rather than falling asleep again on the couch.

3. pure exhaustion
This is the combo approach. Start with the early rise, plan a fun and active day (hard to argue with mom when she's gone out of her way to make this day full of favorite ACTIVE-ities) with lots of movement, and then use this night to start the early bedtime. To be sure: this is not the movies we're talking about, or even lunch out. Pure exhaustion comes from activity. Think beach, park, pool, theme park, rock climbing wall at gym...

Once the new sleep/wake schedule takes hold, make every effort to keep the schedule going. It's a whole lot easier to maintain it rather than start all over each week.

Word to the wise: Keep the tone positive :) otherwise you will have an entirely different argument on your hands. Your goal here is to help your child shift wake/sleep times, not engage in a power struggle. Think "give-take." You're taking away the preferred sleep schedule, what are you giving back in return?

Good luck! Here's to a great school year!