Today’s school aged children are busier than ever: school, homework, little league, girl scouts, birthday parties, play-dates, music lessons, swim lessons, etc.  We have had weeks where we had a scheduled activity every school night of the week.

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I recently read a good book, by Mary Sheedy Kurcinka, titled Sleepless in America. Although it has been out for several years, it is a very helpful guide.  It offers practical strategies and real-life examples to help children and their parents get the sleep they so desperately need.

 

Here is an excerpt:
 It is estimated that 60 percent of American children, from infants to teens, are wired and tired, too exhausted to behave well and unable to sleep.
Sleep-deprived children can include babies who are sleeping less than 14 - 16 hours in a 24-hour period; toddlers sleeping less than 13 hours, preschoolers less than 12 hours, school-age children less than 10 hours, or adolescents sleeping less than 9.25 hours a night. And until your child gets more sleep, no punishment, no discipline strategy will stop the challenging behaviors. Sound sleep is a key to good behavior. The problem is that children rarely tell you that they are tired. Instead, they get wired, which escalates into a frenzy of energy. It's as though their body is out of control -- and it is.

Although you can buy the book at the author’s website or amazon, the local library should have it as well.

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