Calming Summer Sleep Routines for St. Louis Kids
Summer is here and many are enjoying slower mornings, later bedtimes, and a break from the usual school-year structure. While this is often a welcome change, it can also disrupt sleep patterns which can sometimes lead to irritability.
If you’re noticing changes in your child’s sleep during summer break, you’re not alone. The good news is that you can create a summer routine that balances rest, fun, and flexibility.
The St. Louis parent coaches at Compassionate Counseling St. Louis are not strangers to helping St. Louis families who have children experiencing sleep struggles. If you are struggling to help your child sleep in their own bed, set a regular sleep schedule, or stay in their bed throughout the night, the St. Louis therapist team at Compassionate Counseling St. Louis is here to help!
Image Credit: Unsplash Richard Stachmann @stachmann
Start with Consistent Structure
Rather than enforcing strict bedtimes, consider setting a “sleep window.” For example, keeping bedtime within the same 30 minute range each night can provide structure while still allowing for special occasions. Waking up at a relatively consistent time, even if it’s a bit later than during the school year, can also help regulate your child’s internal clock.
Create a Calming Wind-Down Routine
A predictable bedtime routine signals to your child’s body that it’s time to rest. This might include:
Turning off screens 30–60 minutes before bed
Taking a warm bath or shower
Reading a book together
Talking about the day
Practice Calming Skills Before Bed
The St. Louis child therapist team at Compassionate Counseling St. Louis work with kids to develop a self-calming and emotional regulation coping skill toolbox - and some of those skills are so helpful to practice before bedtime. Here are a few that you can practice with your child at home.
A calming and age-appropriate meditation - try this one with your child: Rainbow Guided Meditation: Relaxation Walk-Through for Kids
Progressive Muscle Relaxation: Warm Light Guided Meditation Series: Stress Relief and Whole Body Relaxation
Breathing Exercises: The Wave Breathing Exercise for Anxiety
Wondering About Sleep-Overs?
Summer sleep worries and struggles aren’t only about a successful sleep routine - it can also be about summer sleep overs.
Owner and founder of Compassionate Counseling St. Louis, Kelsey Torgerson, was featured on the St. Louis My Mom Club on Channel 4 discussing this very topic. You can watch this interview, and read more about sleep overs from Kelsey, right here: Summer Sleepovers: What to Consider.
Read More about Successful Bedtime Routines
Bedtime Battles: How to Help Your Child Sleep Better: So many families that our St. Louis therapist team at Compassionate Counseling St. Louis work with struggle with bed time, especially when their kids are anxious, angry, or overwhelmed. Before you visit us here at Compassionate Counseling St. Louis, there are a few foundational strategies you can try at home.
Creating a Peaceful Bedtime Routine: Bedtime can be a tough time of the day. Sometimes your kids are ready for sleep, but often their big emotions can take over bedtime. It can be really challenging to know how to help your child have a peaceful bedtime and it is a question that we get a lot at Compassionate Counseling St. Louis. We asked our expert therapists at St. Louis Compassionate Counseling for their top tips to help with bedtime routines. Read below to learn more about creating a peaceful bedtime routine for your child from the team at Compassionate Counseling St. Louis.
Sleep Anxiety and Behavioral Therapy (for Anxious Kids Who Can’t Sleep Alone): At Compassionate Counseling St. Louis, we hear this a lot. Your kid won’t sleep on a separate floor of the house. You wake up and you find your child staring at you. Anger, anxiety, and avoidance behaviors are all super common in kids with sleep anxiety. You want to be accommodating and reassuring to keep the peace - but it’s not working, and it’s not sustainable. In fact, it can even sometimes make things worse.
Helping Kids and Teens Transition Back Into Routines After the Holidays (with CCSTL Founder Kelsey Torgerson): Winter Break and the holidays bring late nights, unstructured days, and heightened emotions—so it’s no surprise that transitioning back to school and routines can feel overwhelming for kids and teens. Anxiety about schoolwork, social pressures, or simply getting up early again often plays a role.
As parents, there are steps you can take to ease this transition and help your child feel more confident about starting the new year.
And I was so excited to get the opportunity to chat with Show Me St. Louis on Channel 5 about ways to make this transition back to school easier and less stressful.
Ready for Some Extra Support?
Summer is a great time to get started with counseling. Reach out today and schedule a free consultation call with Compassionate Counseling St. Louis to learn more about how the St. Louis child therapist team at Compassionate Counseling St. Louis can help your family.
At Compassionate Counseling St. Louis, our St. Louis counselors offer child therapy, teen therapy, and therapy for college students - we also offer therapeutic St. Louis parent coaching.
Curious to learn more about how St. Louis therapy at Compassionate Counseling St. Louis can help you and your family? Reach out to us at hello@compassionatecounselingstl.com. As anxiety experts providing St. Louis therapy, we love working with kids, teens, college students and parents to help manage their anxiety, stress, and anger. Compassionate Counseling St. Louis is located in Clayton, MO and works with families by offering both in-person counseling and online therapy throughout St. Louis City, St. Louis County, Ladue, University City, Town and Country, Webster Groves, Creve Couer, Kirkwood, Richmond Heights, and Brentwood. We also provide online therapy Missouri -wide to teens and college students. You can set up your first free consult on this website, on our consultation page.