Hush Little Baby … Or Big Kid

Mornings in our house start off like races. The alarm clock is our cue to start the frenzy of waking children and packing lunches while trying to make ourselves presentable for our day.  When my children were toddlers, I worried about their sleep schedule endlessly.  Do they need one nap or two?  Are they going to bed early enough? 

We now have two teenagers and a tween in our household.  I worry less about their sleep patterns, but I still realize that sleep is a very important part of their well-being.  Poor sleep can lead to difficulties in learning and retaining information. It can affect mood and judgement, and can contribute to increased symptoms of depression and anxiety.  Chronic sleep deprivation may lead to health problems like diabetes, cardiovascular disease and even a shorter life expectancy. 

As a school social worker, I have worked with children of various ages and have noticed that they are busy little people. This generation seems to have hectic schedules, increased expectations and endless technology right at their fingertips. The results can be late nights and sleep-deprived children. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that children ages 6-12 get 9-12 hours of sleep per night.  They recommend that teens ages 13-18 get 8-10 hours of sleep per night. It can be difficult to accomplish this much sleep, but we should make it a priority to encourage our children to get the quality sleep they need.  Here are some helpful tips to make it happen:

• Limit electronics. There seems to be an endless amount of video game playing, YouTube watching, and social media interacting among our children.  All this stimulation can inhibit our children’s abilities to find peace and calmness at bed time.   Set a limit to electronics and have children turn them off completely at least an hour before bed.
• No phones bedrooms. This is an unnecessary habit that I am seeing all too often.  Your child is not on call.  They can make it through the night without answering a text.  Whatever it is can wait until morning. 
• Encourage physical activity. Find ways for your children to use their energy and to become physically active.  If they don’t play a sport, encourage them to play outside or even be active in the house.  Physical activity can eliminate restless behavior at bed time.
• Limit or eliminate caffeine. The National Sleep Foundation has found that caffeine has no nutritional value for children and can lead to insomnia and sleep disturbances. 
• Set a regular bed time. Even teenagers are not too old to have a bed time.  We are still teaching them the skills that they need to live healthy adult lives.  Setting a bedtime reinforces that sleep is an important part of a healthy lifestyle. 
• Do a quiet activity before bed. Listening to soft music, drawing, reading, or simply having a conversation can help quiet the mind and prepare your child for sleep.  It’s the perfect time to catch up and find out about their day. 

While we are raising children and living busy lives, we often forget about simple tactics that promote healthy sleep. Remember, the little baby that you used to rock for hours may still need your encouragement to get a good night’s sleep. 

Devonshire is Youth First counselor at Westside Catholic School in Evansville.