Back to school: The little things-SLEEP

I have been thinking about why sleep is so important and how can we get our kids and even ourselves to realize how important it really is to good health and good brain function. The average child needs around 10 hours a night of course that depends on the child and their activity level. My son needs at least 10-12 to function at his optimal level. Any less and I notice a snappy attitude and whining . I know the biggest issue with today children and parents is probably Schedule and what all is on the schedule. I cannot tell you how to run your family but I prioritize sleep. Sleep is the bodies way of repairing itself and preparing for the next day. It is bad enough we do it to ourselves but when we pack our kids schedule so full that their sleep suffers we are doing them a disservice.

I do not have a fail prove way to make sure that our children get enough sleep but I know that a schedule is about the most important thing you can do for yourself and them. It seems sticking to a schedule sometimes is the hard part. Lay out a schedule and then try to work your life around it. When my son was a baby, he was on a tight sleep schedule and he thrived. He was such a good sleeper and still is. It is harder as they get older to make it stick quite the same but the schedule is the start.

Another important factor is a bedtime routine-It might look like this
Have a light snack Take a bath. Put on pajamas. Brush teeth. Read a story. Make sure the room is quiet and at a comfortable temperature. Put your child to bed. Say goodnight and leave. Nightly routines are the part the provides the comfort and ease for bedtime.
There are many things you can do to make is smoother such as limiting TV, keep a bedtime environment with special lighting or music. These things bring comfort and relaxation into our children’s bedtime routines

Sleep is beneficial:
1. Sleep Restores the brain
2. To little sleep can cause issues with hormones leading to obesity
3. To little sleep causes behavior issues
4. School performance suffers
5. You will sleep more also

http://www.sleepforkids.org/html/games.html Great resource for reaching your children the importance of sleep.

Back to school means back to a schedule and back to a routine for sleeping. We always like to go outside and swing on the playset to start our bedtime routine. It is a nice a soothing activity that helps us wind down and have time to discuss the day. Don’t forget the importance of talking to your kids about their day because there day will affect their sleep. Happy sleeping!