Family, Kids & Relationships

How to help your kids sleep through fireworks, thunderstorms, and other loud noises

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Do you dread bedtime during all the fireworks on the 4th of July? In some neighborhoods, the loud fireworks and celebrations continue all week, and they’re always past young kids’ bedtimes — even if you let them stay up late on holidays.

Almost every parent in this country has struggled at some point with getting their baby or little one to sleep during all the unpredictable booms and crashes of fireworks, thunderstorms, or other loud noises.

Some experts advise you to just do your best overnight and try to get your kids to sleep in extra late the next morning (if they will), and that’s completely fine!

But if you want to minimize overnight wake-ups, or having scared kids who turn into overtired, cranky kids, here are some tips that have helped other parents:

  • Talk to your child during the day about the noises they might hear and what causes them so they’re less likely to be alarmed overnight
  • Layer multiple sources of white noise in/near their bedroom (fans, white noise machine, air purifier, AC, etc.) to block out booms and partying neighbors
  • Play very familiar music (either alone or with white noise) to tell their brain that the sounds they hear are safe to ignore and filter out
  • Put kids in their PJs early so you can transfer them to bed if they fall asleep on the way home from the fireworks show

If your kids are especially afraid of fireworks or thunderstorms, try these additional tips for supporting a fearful child.

And if your toddler already has a tough time staying in bed, here are some ways to handle this common phase.

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