Finding a Sleep-Life Balance at Bedtime

When do your little ones climb the stairs of their cabin beds? Is there a set time on a school night? Do you choose the time together or let them know when it’s time to make a move? Would you welcome input from your child’s school? An elementary school in the US recently made the headlines after sharing a social media a chart that gave parents ideal bed times for kids, you can take a peek at the chart online on their Facebook page here. The chart recommends what time children should head to bed based on their waking time and age with bedtime rising in 15 minute increments for every year older the child is. As the image spread on social media some parents said they welcomed the guidance while others voiced concerns that the times suggested weren’t entirely realistic. In our last post on how to bed in a new night time routine for going back to school we spoke about putting a schedule in place that you can stick to as a family. However, all parents know that extra curricular activities, long working days and surprise homework means it’s often hard to stick to schedule even with the best of intentions. Spending time together is important, so your child may sometimes stay up later than the 7pm bedtime recommended for a 5-year-old that woke at 7am so that you can chat about your day and enjoy a bedtime story. It can be really tricky to strike a balance between being able to enjoy quality family time. Sleep is clearly important and getting enough sleep and children who are sleep deprived will typically find it harder to concentrate and learn, but how much sleep do children really need? Research suggests little ones aged under three need 12 hour sleep a night and the recommended sleep level for 6-12 year olds is ten hours decreasing to 8-9 hours for teens. Where does your child’s sleeping pattern fit in the mix? So you think sleep or family time is more important and do you struggle to find a balance?