Amazing as we get older we want to go to bed earlier, since our days seem to be longer. However, our children would rather stay up all night long. They seem to think they will miss out on something of importance if they go to sleep.
Trying to get your children to bed at a somewhat decent hour can be a struggle and not to mention the whining that will ensue when you try. Many children think they can use their negotiation skills to extend their bedtimes, but that only leads to more battles and crying fits.
Research has shown that children need sleep in order to function and do well in school. In a study of 74 six-to-twelve year old children, researchers found that children had difficulties with their schoolwork and attention span when they stayed up late each night. It is quite normal to feel overtired and with lack of energy without the appropriate amount of sleep and this is much more evident in children. Research has shown that children need a minimum of 10 hours of sleep per night.
Let’s see how this works out in a scheduled time frame. Your child begins school at 8:45am. The school bus picks up the child normally at 8:15am. A child will need at least an hour to fully wake-up, eat breakfast and get dressed. In order to accomplish this without rushing you would have to wake your child up at 7:00am. If this is the time you will be waking your child every morning than the appropriate bedtime should be 9:00pm. This will give your child the proper amount of sleep time in order to wake up refreshed.
Some children require more sleep especially if they have extra-curricular activities after school. It is important to remember that a child needs at least 10 hours of sleep an evening to function during the day. There are lots of stresses that their little bodies go through on a daily basis and the body requires sleep in order to recuperate.
So, the next time your little one asks to stay up late on a school night, you’ll know what to say. Although they may protest and say that they are not tired, you know that regardless of how they feel, their little bodies need to be in bed.
Dr. Daisy (aka Dr. Mommy) is a Doctor of Chiropractic by profession, wife to a loving and supporting husband and home school mom to 5 beautiful children. She is a speaker, blogger and freelance writer that devotes her time to educate the public on the importance of nutrition and their health.
For more insight on her love of health and nutrition you can visit her Healthy Nutrition Hints Blog. http://healthynutritionhints.com
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