Mom's Morning Minute: Adjusting kids' sleep schedules ahead of going back to school
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) -- For many kids, there's just about a month left of summer break. While that means there's still plenty of time to enjoy summer, there's something you should be doing now to get ready for the shift back to school.
Kids typically relax their sleep routines in the summer months and getting back to the early morning alarm clock wake-ups can take weeks of adjusting. So how do you get them back on track?
The Sleep Foundation.org says adjust wake-up and bedtime by 15 minute increments every few days until you get to the right bedtime.
Take into consideration what time your children need to wake up for school and how much sleep they need based on their age.
The National Sleep Foundation recommends preschoolers, ages three to five, get 10-13 hours of sleep; children ages six to 13 should 9-11 hours of sleep.
Teenagers from 14 to 17 years old should get between eight and ten hours of sleep a night.
For teens in particular, research shows they usually fall short of getting the amount of sleep they need for a number of reasons, according to the National Sleep Foundation.
Some of the same things we do as adults to wind down you can try with your kids. They are forming good sleep habits right now with our guidance.
Sleepfoundation.org says limit screen time well before bed. See if a warm bath or shower helps to calm them down. Independent reading or reading to them can help before bed. For older kids, they can try journaling before bedtime.