After nearly three incredibly fun-filled summer months, it feels like the concept of bedtime has become a mere suggestion that gets immediately disregarded by everyone in our household. We love spending the extra minutes (and, if I’m honest, hours) with our four children. We love eating dinner al fresco and not having to rush inside for the bedtime routine. Why, just the other night, we walked down to our favorite frozen yogurt place at 9 pm (keep in mind our kids range in age from 12 to four)! The release from the rather strict school-year schedule is one of my favorite aspects of summer, and besides, doesn’t it feel like we’re going against nature if we try to put kids to bed while the sun is still out?

This time of year, as school quickly approaches, my husband, Matt, and I always have high hopes of getting into a better bedtime routine...before the first week.

If our past failed attempts are any prediction for this year, it won’t happen because we’ll get caught up in savoring every last moment of these cherished summer evenings. There’s nothing like the early school mornings to get us back on track, though. If your kids are like mine, they need a good incentive to hit the sack early. For us it’s a gentle spritz of Static Schmatic for Kids on their pillow cases and a great new read. 

Static Schmatic for Kids leaves the most delicate scent of vanilla, which instills a cozy, relaxed feeling as they drift off into dreamland. We all recognize how powerful scents are with their ability to immediately take us back to a moment in our lives. The delicious smell of cookies is sweet yet faint and will always remind them of the sweet dreams they had under our watch and care. 

The book is a new adventure they love to discover as they unwind from the day. It gives them much-needed quiet time and an incredibly healthy dose of creativity and imagination. Here are links to some of our summer favorites that span their ages, from Amazon. We hope you enjoy them as much as we did!