Today's Tip for Families

[En español]

09-09-2022

Be Sure Your Child Gets a Good Night's Sleep

Some children fall asleep as soon as their heads hit the pillow. Others have problems sleeping.

Children who are tired from lack of sleep can't do their best to learn in school. Here are some ways to help your child get enough sleep:

• Stick to a schedule. If possible, keep the same bedtime every night. Children who stay up later on weekends have more trouble resetting their internal clock once the school week starts.
• Create routines to ease the transition from waking to sleeping. Many parents have routines about how many books they'll read and how many drinks of water children can have.
• Build in quiet time before bed. Turn screen devices off an hour before bedtime. Have children play quiet games, work on puzzles or—best of all—read.
• Avoid changing your child's bedtime because of your schedule.
• Don't negotiate. If you've decided bedtime is 8:45, don't give in to pleas for "five more minutes."
• Don't give your child foods that contain caffeine in the evening. This includes many sodas (check the label) and chocolate.

Brought to you by:

Gwinnett County Public Schools

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