Consistency in Bedtimes
If your children don’t have consistent bedtimes, or you have a hard time putting them down and getting them to bed at a decent time, you need to read this article on the Huffington Post. Not only is inadequate sleep associated with behaviour problems and hampered brain development, now a connection has been made between consistent bedtimes and school performance.
The article states, “The National Sleep Foundation recommends that children age 1 to 3 need 12 to 14 hours of sleep a day, while 3- to 5-year-olds typically need 11 to 13 hours, and 5- to 12-year-olds need 10 to 11 hours.” Are you kids getting that much sleep?
“I would tell you that in my estimation, the majority of parents have no idea how important sleep consistency is. It’s not because they don’t care. They haven’t been told,” says Michael Breus, a clinical psychologist, diplomate of the American Board of Sleep Medicine (and a frequent HuffPost contributor), in the article.
We chronically undervalue the improtance of sleep in our society. Don’t let your child’s development be a casualty. It can be work to get kids on a good sleep schedule, but it’s not impossible. It’s an investment in your child’s future health and future success.
(Need some ideas or support in implementing a consistent sleep schedule for your family? Give me a call; I can help.)