Resetting your child’s sleep routine for school

Moms and dads!

It’s time to get your kids ready for back-to-school. And a vital part of preparation is making sure they’re fully rested after that jam packed summer of fun.

The start of school is less than two weeks away for Bend-La Pine and Crook County Schools, and doctors say making sure your child gets enough sleep is key. But you’d better get them started now.

“When my daughter is sleep deprived, that’s when we have the most problems,” Sarah Daily, a Bend mother and creator of www.bendmomsformoms.com said Thursday. “So for us as a family, it’s always been a thing we’ve been really strict about.”

“Sleep is incredibly important for kids as they’re ready to go back to school,” said Dr. Kate Broadman at Bend Memorial Clinic. “We know that kids that are tired don’t learn as well in school, they just can’t focus.”

“It’s important to get back into a good routine,” said Dr. Broadman. “Work back to a good bedtime, from when you think they’re going to wake up in the morning, count backwards in terms for the hours of sleep that they need for their age.”

Here’s the recommended hours of sleep a child should get per night:

– For a late pre-schooler, kindergartener, or first-grader, they’ll need 11- 13 hrs of sleep per night.
– An older grade school/middle school-age student should get at least 10-11 hrs per night.
– A teen in high school should get an average of 8-9 hrs per night.

For those having trouble setting a routine for their child, there’s help.

Daily’s website, www.bendmomsformoms.com is a social media site dedicated to mothers in the area. There, local moms can find and share advice with other parents about their situation.

Some other tips you might feel useful for getting your child into a routine:

– Cut off all caffeine intake within 4 hours of bedtime.
– Have your child go to bed and wake up at the same time each day.
– In this digital age, limit the use of tablets, cell phones, and other electronic devices close to bedtime.

It is advised to follow the same routine, even on the weekends.

“I think kids mostly just want to know what to expect,” said Daily. “So I think having a routine every night of a snack, and brushing our teeth and having your stories, and doing the same thing every night has always been really helpful for us and going to bed every night.”