Goodnight Sweetheart
I think it's going to be a busy day of posting, so I'll start off with something a little lighter.
Research is demonstrating that sleep (or more accurately, inadequate sleep) is linked to behavioral issues in children.
Tragically, you have to pay to get a full copy of the article, which has been released ahead of the next scheduled publication date of the Journal of Developmental Behavioral Pediatrics. While the study seems to focus on the impact of bedtime routines and schedules in lower-income situations, the basic issues are applicable to anyone.
We've enforced a pretty strict bedtime for our kids all along. Now ages 7, 4.5, and 3, we don't get complaints about bedtime. There are sometimes efforts to stall things, or complaints about certain portions of the bedtime routine (brushing teeth is always traumatic in determining in what order they brush. Rock, scissors, paper competitions have somewhat eliminated this problem, but we have some very competitive children who hate to lose!), but generally the kids are ready for bed. There are even days when they come and tell us that they're tired and are ready to go to bed. Lord knows most days we're ready for them to go to bed!
We don't have television, and generally the kids don't watch videos or anything else in the evening. I don't know if this is a big deal or not, but it works for us. We have dinner, get them changed into pajamas, read a book with or to them, help them brush their teeth, say prayers with them, and then usually snuggle with each of them for a couple of minutes. Most nights, they fall asleep pretty quickly.
We've noticed that on the occasions that they're up later, they're invariably cranky and visibly more tired the next day. So we've made their bedtime ritual and timing a priority with us. It means that we're very limited in some of our evening activities and options, but most of the time it's worth it to help ensure that the kids are in the best frame of mind the next day.
Some of our friends are surprised our kids go to bed so early (generally between 7pm and 7:30pm every night). They sleep until about 7am each morning, and people seem surprised that they sleep for 12 hours. Apparently, that's about what they need. Heck, I wish *I* could get 12 hours of sleep a few times a week! We put them to bed as much for us as for them. They need the sleep, we need a chance to decompress as a couple and talk over the day's events and plans for the week.
Before we started home-schooling (which, for those keeping track, started *yesterday*!), when I would help out in my son's classroom, I could see a majority of the children yawning and barely able to keep their eyes open. I could only wonder what hour they got to sleep the night before. School can be such a challenging thing for a child - it seems unfair to make them do it with an inadequate amount of sleep!
Research is demonstrating that sleep (or more accurately, inadequate sleep) is linked to behavioral issues in children.
Tragically, you have to pay to get a full copy of the article, which has been released ahead of the next scheduled publication date of the Journal of Developmental Behavioral Pediatrics. While the study seems to focus on the impact of bedtime routines and schedules in lower-income situations, the basic issues are applicable to anyone.
We've enforced a pretty strict bedtime for our kids all along. Now ages 7, 4.5, and 3, we don't get complaints about bedtime. There are sometimes efforts to stall things, or complaints about certain portions of the bedtime routine (brushing teeth is always traumatic in determining in what order they brush. Rock, scissors, paper competitions have somewhat eliminated this problem, but we have some very competitive children who hate to lose!), but generally the kids are ready for bed. There are even days when they come and tell us that they're tired and are ready to go to bed. Lord knows most days we're ready for them to go to bed!
We don't have television, and generally the kids don't watch videos or anything else in the evening. I don't know if this is a big deal or not, but it works for us. We have dinner, get them changed into pajamas, read a book with or to them, help them brush their teeth, say prayers with them, and then usually snuggle with each of them for a couple of minutes. Most nights, they fall asleep pretty quickly.
We've noticed that on the occasions that they're up later, they're invariably cranky and visibly more tired the next day. So we've made their bedtime ritual and timing a priority with us. It means that we're very limited in some of our evening activities and options, but most of the time it's worth it to help ensure that the kids are in the best frame of mind the next day.
Some of our friends are surprised our kids go to bed so early (generally between 7pm and 7:30pm every night). They sleep until about 7am each morning, and people seem surprised that they sleep for 12 hours. Apparently, that's about what they need. Heck, I wish *I* could get 12 hours of sleep a few times a week! We put them to bed as much for us as for them. They need the sleep, we need a chance to decompress as a couple and talk over the day's events and plans for the week.
Before we started home-schooling (which, for those keeping track, started *yesterday*!), when I would help out in my son's classroom, I could see a majority of the children yawning and barely able to keep their eyes open. I could only wonder what hour they got to sleep the night before. School can be such a challenging thing for a child - it seems unfair to make them do it with an inadequate amount of sleep!
I agree wholeheartedly! Serena goes to bed at 8 and sleeps until 7:30 and Brandon, well he goes to bed when we do, most nights since he sleeps with us, BUT he gets up at 7:30 (even if I have to wake him) and naps everyday at 2. We all need time to be adults and when the kids go to bed, it is a great time! He will be sleeping in his bed when Christmas comes, that is my goal anyways!
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