What Time is a Good Bedtime for Children?
A regular bedtime establishes a routine and makes it easier for your child to fall asleep. Once you become consistent with bedtime, you may find that other sleep problems decrease. Since all kids are different, the best bedtime for your child might vary from other children, even those at the same age. Consider the factors influencing a child's sleep to help set the best bedtime. Does this Spark an idea?
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Sleep Requirements
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As a general guideline, children need less sleep the older they get, but the recommendations for each age group vary slightly from one child to the next. According to KidsHealth.org, sleep recommendations are 10 to 13 hours for toddlers, 10 to 12 hours from the preschool to preteen years and eight and a half to nine and a half hours for teens. When setting your child's bedtime, ensure that it is early enough for her to get the full amount necessary. For example, if your 8-year-old child needs to get up at 7 a.m. to catch the bus, she should go to bed no later than 9 p.m. to get 10 hours of sleep. If you constantly have to wake your child up in the morning and she still seems overly tired, try an earlier bedtime to allow for more sleep at night.
Schedule
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Your family's schedule affects the bedtime for your children. Consider the activities and timing of events that affect the whole family. For example, if you don't get home until 6:30 each night, your kids may not have time to eat dinner, do homework, wind down, spend time with the family and still get to bed by 8. Children who need to wake up early to catch the bus need an earlier bedtime to allow for enough sleep. Look at your schedule as a whole to find a time that works for your family.
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Child's Habits
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Your child's tendencies and habits can help you set a suitable bedtime for him. If he tends to stay up long after you put him to bed, set his bedtime later. While a later bedtime may seem inconvenient to you, it could make falling asleep easier for him and reduce stress at bedtime for everyone. You can gradually move his bedtime back by 10 to 15 minutes at a time until he adjusts to an earlier bedtime. If your child starts falling asleep before you even begin the bedtime routine, move his bedtime earlier so he gets adequate rest.
Tips
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Consistency at bedtime is key, no matter what time you set your child's bedtime. If the current bedtime you have for your child doesn't work for her or the family schedule, slowly make adjustments. A bedtime routine also helps your child ease into sleep so there is less arguing about bedtimes. As your child gets older, consider letting her stay up later if she is able to handle less sleep.
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References
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