ြြြGive Your Growing Children

Give your growing children,

The advantage of sound sleep .

Sleep is as important to your children’s development and well-being as nutrition and physical activity .But many a time, you are sure how much sleep your children need and how much is enough sleep . Doctors and other experts have recommended the following amounts of sleep for children by age .

Infants: 14 to 15 hours : sleeping patterns will change into a regular awake/sleep pattern with one or two naps throughout the day.

Toddlers:12 to 14 hours : Most toddlers will be sleeping through the night and only taking one nap during the day .

School-age : 10 to 11 hours: School-age children need adequate sleep to function at their best . Added demands on their time for school, outside activities ,and home life, can add to school-age children not getting enough rest .

Healthy sleeping Practices
Healthy sleep habits are important for everyone. Starting healthy sleeping practices as infants will help them form healthy lifelong patterns .Parents of newborns will want to follow these healthy healthy sleeping practices for their newborn;

Make your newborn’s sleeping area quiet and comfortable ; Use a safety_approved crib without any pillows, blankets, or soft items in the crib. Make the room dark,quiet and comfortable for your child.

Encourage more night sleeping : In the evenings ,make the environment quiet and less active so babies will start to associate quite time with going to sleep .

Put your newborn to down to sleep when there are signs of drowsiness: Do not wait until your newborn is asleep to put her to bed. You need to set the stage for you baby to be able to fail asleep on her own.

Have a regular bedtime schedule: An hour before bedtime, prepare your child by having a quiet environment and doing some soothing activities such as taking a bath or reading a bedtime story.

Place infants and toddlers in bed BEFORE they fall asleep: your infant or toddler should be drowsy but NOT asleep when going to bed .This helps them to learn to become independent sleepers and know how it feels when they should go to bed.

Create and maintain an enjoyable bedtime routine: A routine could be as simple as a bath and a bedtime story ,or listening to music and playing with a favorite toy.

Stick to bedtime routine and consistent sleep schedules: Children like and need consistency in all parts of their lives .A sleep schedule will help regulate your child’s quality of sleep .

Be aware of chronic sleeping problems: Learn the typical sleeping problems of children . If your child isn’t getting enough sleep , talk to your child’s doctor.