The holiday season has just passed, filled with moments of joy, laughter, and togetherness around the dinner table with family and friends. There was so much to savor—delicious food, good conversations, dressing up, and connecting with loved ones.

At the same time, there was the juggling, planning, and executing every family member’s needs. No one gets thrown under the bus. As head of the family system, how can you set your family up for success during such occasions? Without intentional preparation, you might have found yourself at the event with an overtired, cranky child, making it impossible to enjoy, and broken sleep after returning home— a double whammy!

Now that the holiday hustle has quieted, it’s the perfect time to reflect on how to approach stepping out of the routine during bedtime with our babies and young children. Do we stay home or venture out? Do we attend but leave early, or adjust naps to make a later arrival possible? Let’s explore a few empowering strategies to help you make the best choices the next time life calls for a late night out with your family.

Bedtime on the Go: Different Strategies for Different Ages

When You are Out for Bedtime with Your 2-Year-Old or Older

Most children aged two and older are thrilled to be part of a party. The excitement helps them stay up past bedtime while enjoying the evening. It’s so much fun! Here’s how to ensure they can enjoy the evening and still sleep well:

• Monitor Party Food: Consider what your child will be eating there and ensure they don’t overindulge in “party foods” that might leave them feeling sick at night.

• Prepare for Bed at the Party: Get your child ready for bed before heading home. This includes putting them in pajamas and brushing their teeth before leaving. Tackling bedtime preparations before driving home can make the transition to bed smoother once home (if they haven't already fallen asleep on the car ride home).

Taking your little one out, especially babies under 18 months, can bring its own unique set of challenges. At this age, their bodies aren’t quite ready to handle late nights without it affecting their overall sleep. Stretching bedtime too far often leads to an overtired baby, which can make falling asleep and staying asleep more difficult. Late nights can not only be stressful in the moment but may also lead to a restless night and, more often than not, an even earlier wake-up the next morning.

When planning an evening out during your baby’s usual bedtime, consider the following:

Assess the Environment Ahead of Time: What is the setup like where you will be? Will it be overwhelming for you or your little one? Are there other children, and is there a quiet space for your baby to be put down once it's time? Consider what the noise level will be like and the duration of your event.

• Prepare Sleep Gear: Bring essentials like a crib or travel cot, sleep sack, familiar crib sheet, white noise machine, and any comforting items from home.

Often, we make decisions from a place of fear. Fear paralyzes our ability to think outside the box, leaving us to hold our breath and hope for the best. But if your child has healthy sleep habits, navigating one-off situations is absolutely doable.

Setting the Stage for Success

Going out as a family with little ones can be a wonderful experience when approached with a bit of planning and care. One way to make it work is to let your loved ones know you’ll arrive earlier than the scheduled time, creating space for meaningful connection before your child's bedtime. For example, if your baby’s bedtime is 6:30 PM and the event starts at 7:00 PM, consider arriving an hour earlier with your little one already prepared for bed.

Showering and feeding your child before leaving home minimizes their discomfort and lets you make the most of your time with family. Thoughtful planning like this allows you to enjoy the gathering while respecting your baby’s natural rhythm—they’ll still feel tired around their usual bedtime, no matter what’s happening around them. Honoring their needs ensures a smoother experience for everyone

Here are the steps to prepare:

• Pack Sleep Essentials: Include your baby’s pajamas, diaper supplies, familiar crib sheet, white noise machine, blanket or sleep sack, and any comforting items.

• Plan Wind-Down Time: About 10-20 minutes before bedtime, create a calming one-on-one routine. This could include orienting them to the room, pacing while humming a bedtime song, or feeding them in the dark right before putting them down. Staying in the room until they fall asleep may also help if you’re in an unfamiliar environment.

Once your child is asleep, you can rejoin the party until it’s time to head home.

Transitioning Home Smoothly

Children are typically in deep sleep during the first few hours of the night, making the transition back home relatively easy. Transfer your sleeping child into the car seat and head home. If your child wakes up during the transfer back home, use it as an opportunity to quickly change their diaper, offer a small feed, and settle them right back into bed.

You’d be amazed at how smooth an evening out can be when you plan with intention. There’s no reason to turn down family gatherings out of fear. When you know what to do, you can step out of routine during bedtime and still enjoy celebrating with your loved ones.

Maintaining Balance

After stepping out of routine during bedtime, remember to get back on track. One night out of routine can be balanced by staying in routine for at least the next two nights to preserve the natural rhythm your child’s body thrives on.

How have you navigated evenings out with your family? I’m so curious to hear! Please share your experiences in the comments.