Action needs to be taken to make sure your child is getting enough sleep. How much? Anywhere from 9-12 hours.
Problem: Your morning routine looks more like the Battle of Waterloo than stress-free start to the day. Reports are coming in about your child falling asleep in class. Grades are starting to slip. They just don’t seem like themselves.
Solutions: The classic caricature of a teenager is someone who sleeps all the time and will avoid waking up at the appointed hour at any cost. Laughing it off as “kids being kids” can be very detrimental. Action needs to be taken to make sure your child is getting enough sleep. How much? Anywhere from 9-12 hours. Here’s how to make that happen:
- A routine, even for older kids
- No screen time before bed
- Get active
- Talk (or write) out any concerns
- Model good sleep habits yourself
A routine, even for older kids
Establishing a sleep routine is one of the first things you learn as a parent, but as the kid gets older we tend to let things slide. You don’t have to read your high schooler a bedtime story anymore (having them read to you might help, though), but keep up with the idea of a regular bedtime, perhaps a shower, and some wind down time without screens. No matter the age, children like reliability. They’re conditioned to it from spending their days moving at the whim of a bell.
No screen time before bed
It’s starting to become an accepted fact that using devices, particularly those with a harsh backlight close to your face, is terrible for your sleep patterns. You’re basically tricking your brain into thinking it’s daytime. Ban phones and tablets for the hour leading up to bedtime. Take them away or keep them out in the living room if you have to.
Get active
Kids need to expend energy during the day. Recess is being cut nationwide, so if your child isn’t into sports, they are probably spending the vast majority of their day sitting down. Find something active for them to do. Bonus points if you can do it with them.
Talk (or write) out any concerns
Just like adults, sometimes the pressures of life can keep kids from sleeping. They might be worried about an upcoming test or some social problem. As always, offer to be a listening post for them. If they aren’t willing to talk, encourage them to start a journal and write in it regularly. Even that can help clear the mind.
Model good sleep habits yourself
Kids are smart. They know when you go to bed, when you’re tired, and when you aren’t performing your best and then can connect the dots. You need to model these same sleep habits yourself if you want your child to follow them.