Sleep is important. We all know what it feels like to have to get up and start the day after not having enough sleep.
Before parents can turn in for the night they need to make sure their children are asleep. What can you do if your child is resisting bedtime or getting up at night? Here are some ideas that could help your kids to fall asleep.
How much sleep do kids really need? The National Sleep Foundation has some recommendations that are based upon the age of the person. Adults need less sleep than children and babies do.
A preschooler, defined by the National Sleep Foundation as a child between the ages of 3 and 5, requires somewhere between 10 and 13 hours of sleep a night. School age children, those who are between the ages of 6 and 13, require 9 to 11 hours a sleep every night.
In order to figure out the appropriate bedtime for a child, a parent needs to consider what time the child needs to get up in the morning. Go backwards from there the appropriate amount of hours, and you will arrive at the latest bedtime your child can have (and still get enough sleep).
One thing parents can do to help their child sleep is stick to a consistent bedtime (and wake up time) even on weekends. This may seem difficult for parents whose kids have after school activities followed by dinner and then homework – but it is worth it.
Avoid letting your child stay up late to finish homework, to watch a movie, or because they don’t have school the next day. Doing so can shift the child’s sleep schedule, and it will take time and effort to re-teach their body to fall asleep at the right time. Once you figure out an appropriate bedtime – stick to it!
Another way to help your child fall asleep is to create a nighttime routine. First, your child puts away his toys (or homework). Next, he brushes his teeth and puts on pajamas. After that he gets into bed. This pattern creates structure and many young children feel less anxious when they know what will happen next.
What if your child follows the routine and then asks for a glass of water? Some kids will start making any excuse to get out of bed and delay bedtime. Often, it isn’t because they aren’t tired. It’s about control. The child is pushing the boundaries to see what they can get away with.
Parents can help their child fall asleep by adhering to the routine. If the nighttime routine includes one story – don’t read two or more. Make it clear that bedtime is not negotiable.
Image by Peter Dedina on Flickr.
Related Articles at Families.com:
* When Your Child Won’t Go to Sleep
* Why Won’t My teens go to sleep?
* Establishing a Bedtime Routine