Tips to ensure 5 year old sleeps on Christmas Eve......???

[peanutfoldover]

My DD’s birthday was a few months ago and the night before she was SO excited she only got about 5 hours sleep. I’ve been dreading Christmas Eve ever since!

Our only plan for Christmas Eve is going to church for the nativity and christingle, but I can’t help thinking that isn’t enough to wear her out.

Tried and tested plans would be great!

Lush do bath bombs with stuff in them that’s meant to help you/your children sleep would something like that help zonk her out? I know they don’t work on everyone. I feel for you- my youngest has ASD and a sleep disorder so is a bugger to get to sleep anyway but Christmas Eve when he’s excited about Christmas it takes even longer.

Other than that as others have said, swimming, a nice brisk walk etc should help.

Ah yes @Bigtelevision ! DD is have a sleepover at my parents this weekend so we’ll be wrapping then! I definitely want to maximise my sleep on Xmas eve.

I think I probably just need to accept that not much sleep will be had, embrace the chaos and excitement. And that it will be a looooonng day if she wakes up mega early.

I will be wrapping the presents quite securely though, to slowing down the unwrapping!

Hopefully a good nights sleep on Christmas night will make up for it.

when dc were little - we went for late afternoon walks looking at the decorations around the neighbourhood

Give them foods containing melatonin.

@mrsmoastytoasty what kinds of foods have that in?

Melatonin can be found naturally in -

Melatonin
Many of the vitamins and minerals that are on this list are there because they help aid in the production of turning serotonin into melatonin. However, there are a few excellent sources of naturally occuring melatonin in foods:
• Fruits and vegetables (tart cherries, corn, asparagus, tomatoes, pomegranate, olives, grapes, broccoli, cucumber)
• Grains (rice, barley, rolled oats)
• Nuts and Seeds (walnuts, peanuts, sunflower seeds, mustard seeds, flaxseed)

warm milk with honey is a classic one. add a teabag of chamomile or fennel when heating up the milk can help as well.

Definately physical activity but also I think something that challenges dds mentally seems to work to tire them, so maybe some Christmas themed quiz type questions or a treasure hunt with clues she needs to have a think about. I think putting children to bed a little earlier than usual can help them to go to sleep at a reasonable time, I have been known to change the clocks so they think it is bed time! Definitely keeping her usual routine, my dds have bath, stories and bed and we stick to that on Christmas eve.

My dds always seem to sleep in though and it is me banging around Christmas morning trying to accidentally wake them.....