How to Celebrate New Year’s Eve With a Toddler (You Trick Them)

New Years Eve is coming and your little tot is growing older and wiser – starting to understand the significance of New Years Eve. New year, new me!

Unfortunately, like every small child, they will want to stay up to witness the “transfer” upon midnight.

Obviously this can’t happen. This will disrupt their sleep rhythm, and everyone knows once a small kid stays up beyond their “tired point” they paradoxically are not able to fall asleep for hours. Plus, you might have to work tomorrow or something.

So what do you do???

Trick them.

Let them experience the magic of New Years Eve but do it in a way that they get to bed on time! How is this possible?

Step 1.

Change every clock in the house on New Years eve to 3-4 hours earlier so you can celebrate between 8-9pm.

Step 2.

Get them fixated on playing a game, maybe watching stuff on the tablet, whatever. —It’s New Years eve, honey! You can watch Youtube videos all you want tonight!— You have to form some sort of “time suck” distraction so they don’t notice the time gap you have created. — Oh wow, mommy! It’s already 11pm!!

Step 3.

Have a pre-recorded tape from last year or get last years footage off Youtube so you guys can watch the ball drop together. OR, you can use the countdown from London or Sydney.

Step 4.

Celebrate New Years with your little one. Eat some cake or something. Then get that sucker to bed on their normal sleep schedule.

But wait, isn’t this kind of wrong?? Deceiving a toddler and all?

I have two words for you. Santa Claus.

So, no. The other option is having your toddler scream and beg to stay up, and they’ll probably stay up anyway excited from the anticipation of the New Years countdown.

Do the smart thing. Trick your kid.

Happy Holidays!