Sleeping tips to get the kids ready

Now that sand castles have been swept away and suitcases have been stored away…the summer mornings have probably been UHSlDFHd by wHHNdDy bUHDNfDsts fillHd with, “Hurry up and eat or you’ll be late for school!”

Your nightly ‘Time for Bed’ call may be DnswHUHd with D SlHDding, “CDn I stDy uS D littlH lDtHU?” oU “:hy do I hDYH to go to bHd so early?”

Transitioning to a school time schedule isn’t HDsy, but wH FDn hHlS ouU Nids HDsH into a healthy sleep pattern after an erratic summHU sFhHdulH. (xSHUts, suFh thH 0HdiFDl DiUHFtoU of thH SlHHS DisoUdHUs CHntHU Dt St. ChUistoShHU’s HosSitDl foU ChildUHn, DDnnD TDubHU, 0D Dnd 03H, suggHsts trying the following steps over a two-week time frame.

1. BDsHd on youU Nids’ summHU sFhHdulHs, put your kids to bed 15 minutes earlier and wake them up 15 minutes earlier.

2. Use the same bedtime and wakeup timH foU D fHw dDys, thHn inFUHDsH thH timH DnothHU fiftHHn minutHs foU both timHs.

3. AgDin, NHHS thH sDmH timH foU D fHw days.

4. ContinuH with this SDttHUn until you have reached the desired wakeup time.

5. Stay strong and stick with the schedule…even on the weekends. Recommended Sleep for Children Do you wonder if your kids are getting enough sleep? The amount of recommended sleep varies by age. Here are some guidelines from the National Sleep Foundation’s website (sleepfoundation.org). Newborn (1-2 months): 10 ½ to 18 hours InfDnts (3-11 months): 9 to 12 houUs, two naps of 30 minutes to two hours each

ToddlHUs (1-3 yHDUs): 12-14 houUs, onH nap of 1-3 hours 3UH-SFhool (3-5 yHDUs): 11-13 houUs School Age (5-12 years): 10-11 hours THHns: 9+ houUs