As our children get older, it becomes more possible to celebrate Christmas and New Year's Eve with children at night. And then comes the common dilemma: whether to keep them up until midnight or respect their sleep routine.

If you have also asked yourself this question, keep reading, because here we explain the pros and cons to make the best decision for your child.

To wait for midnight or not?

For many families keeping their children up late for one night, it's not a problem; while For others, this change in routine is more worrying because it could affect their sleep schedules in the following days.

Both positions are valid, and the truth is that each family is unique, so it is the responsibility of each mother and father to make the decision that they think is best for their children.

Babies and toddlers

Babies and very young children need many more hours of sleep than adults, and they have a shorter threshold for staying awake during the day. Therefore, when a baby stays up later than usual, their cortisol levels tend to increase, affecting sleep quality and emotional regulation.

In addition, babies often need several days to recover from a single 'all-nighter', because when a baby is tired, it is more difficult for him to fall asleep, causing him to wake up at night or very early in the morning. This creates a cycle of tiredness that can last for several days until the baby regulates his sleep cycle.

Children from 6 years old

As children get older, they have less sleep needs than a baby, so as a family you might consider keeping them up until midnight.

If you decide to wait until midnight, it is important to consider that your child may feel very tired the next day , affecting his emotional regulation and perhaps in a bad mood for not having a restful sleep. However, it is possible that it will take him less time to resume his sleep cycle, so it may be easier to get back to his routine.

Tips for spending midnight with your children

1. Try to get your children to take a nap before the celebration. Even if they can't sleep, some rest time will be restorative.

2. Don't rush them to sleep right after midnight, they will still be very energetic and may have trouble sleeping.

3. When going to bed, follow your normal sleep routine (brushing your teeth, reading a story, etc.). This will help you relax faster.

4. The next night , make sure they stick to their schedule so they can get back to their normal sleep routine faster.

Tips to celebrate with your children without staying up late

1. For Christmas, open your presents on the morning of the 25th, so you have all day to enjoy them and the excitement won't interfere with sleep on the 24th.
2. For New Year's, do a family ritual during the day to say goodbye to the year; such as writing down your gratitude for 2023 or a wish list for 2024.
3. For New Year's, do recreational activities during the day, such as crafts, that make you feel part of the change of year.

Reminder: It is always important for our little ones respect their sleeping windows. But if you want to make an exception, No one will know what is best better than you. Just remember to assess your child's ability to handle these interruptions, their possible reactions, and how to help them get back into their routine.