The Importance of Sleep for a child

When it’s getting close to nap time at Bright Start Academy, we can tell it! The babies get into a routine, getting somewhat predictable in their schedule, but the toddlers and the preschoolers are a whole different story! They get crankier, they cry easier and they nit-pick every little detail. 

Every day at naptime at Bright Start Academy there’s at least one child who can barely hold her eyes open, but still insists she’s not tired; one little one who refuses to take a nap! It’s easy to jump to the conclusion that she’s outgrown her naps, but one look at her tired little eyes and you know that she still needs that extra sleep. So what can you do? How can you make sure that your little one is getting enough sleep?

Getting your 3-11 month old baby to have the recommended 14-15 hours of sleep a day, including naps, is usually pretty easy. You put them in their crib, they may fuss for a minute or two but then they usually drift off to dream land. But getting toddlers ages 1-3 to get the 12-14 hours of sleep recommended by the National Sleep Foundation can be a little tougher.

Even getting preschoolers up to age 5 who should be getting 11-13 hours of sleep each day can be a struggle! We see it every day at Bright Start Academy in O’Fallon MO, the little ones who don’t want to miss out on a thing!   They suddenly need a drink, need to go to the bathroom or they keep dropping their blanket or lovey on the floor. There’s a billion and one reason they need to get up and they’ve thought of every single one of them! At Bright Start Academy, we gently redirect them to their nap mat, but what should you do at home? Won’t your child sleep when they’re tired enough? Is sleep really a battle worth fighting?

As challenging as it may be, the research shows that sleep is absolutely worth fighting about and standing firm at nap-time and bedtime is important.  Sleep deprivation has been linked to health, behavior, and developmental issues in children.  Beginning in infancy, the majority of your child’s brain development is going on while their bodies are at rest.  When you think of all of the growth and development going on in the first year of life, it’s no wonder they need so much sleep for their brain to process everything! 

As they get a little older, toddlers and preschoolers are building on the skills they’ve already mastered, and a lack of sleep can cause a decrease in comprehension, attention span, and memory.  Sleepy children also are less inclined to be physical, running and playing, leading to obesity and a lack of muscle and motor development.  Add this to the fact that a lack of sleep makes everyone cranky, and you’ve got a recipe for a pretty frustrating day all around.  It’s pretty easy to see that sleep is essential for the overall success of your child.

Even at Bright Start Academy, nap-time can be challenging. One child keeping themselves awake can lead to several more tired children not being able to sleep, leaving us with a chain of sleepy, cranky kiddos! That’s why it’s important that we set them up for success by sticking to a predictable routine to let them know what’s coming up next.

By reading a book, helping them get out their cots and making sure they have their favorite bedtime buddy, they know it’s getting close to time. And since we make sure they have been changed or have used the bathroom and they’ve had a chance to get a drink, we know their needs are taken care of so they can settle into sleepy time comfortably. With a predictable routine and a little patience, your child will be back on track, ready to get some rest so she can wake up alert and well-rested, ready to play and learn!

Contact Us at:

• Visit Us at: Bright Start Academy

864 Homefield Blvd. O’Fallon MO, 63366

• Call us at: 636-379-2600

• Mail us at: bsaofallon@yahoo.com