Is Your Child Getting the Right Amount of Sleep?

Sleep is when babies grow and bodies rest. As a parent it can be difficult to know how much rest your child needs. They may seem cranky, but won’t go down for a nap. They may stall their bedtime or stay up very late and still get up at 6 am. Just because their bodies require a certain amount of sleep each day does not mean that children will get all the sleep they need. It’s important for you to help them get the amount of sleep they need. The best way to accomplish this is to know how much sleep they need. The following is a look at what the American Pediatric Association says about how much sleep kids really need.

Between Birth-Six Months children need 16-20 hours. They are going to sleep off and on all day and night. They do not know the difference and are not old enough for a schedule.

Between Six-Twelve Months children need 14-15 hours. They should begin sleeping through the night during this stage. You should be working on getting them on a schedule. They should take 3 naps a day, and have one long stretch at night. This is when children are learning to fall asleep on their own, so it’s okay to let them cry themselves to sleep.

Between Ages 1-3 children need 10-13 hours. They should be taking a couple naps a day and sleeping through the night. Nap times and bedtimes should be as consistent as possible. They should be falling asleep on their own in their own beds. Now is the time to establish a bedtime routine.

Between Ages 3-10 children need 10-12 hours. They start to stall their bedtime at this stage and will grow out of their naps by age 5. They should not be indulged when they try to stall bedtime. Continue to follow the bedtime routine you have established. It is unlikely your child will develop any new sleep problems in this phase. If you established good habits early they should carry over. Make sure their bedtime stays consistent.

Between Ages 11-12 children need about 10 hours. At this point they will no longer be napping and will try to procrastinate at bedtime. Try to have them in bed by 9 so there is ample time to get the 10 hours they need.

Teens need about 9 hours of sleep per night. They are going to have later curfews and will make up for lost sleep by sleeping in or napping if you do not enforce positive sleep habits. Help them sleep by setting rules with iPods, cell phones, and computer time at night.

Growth and mood are both closely tied to the amount of sleep a child gets. Know what to expect as far as growing out of naps and how much sleep your child needs. Try to get your kids to bed between 7-9 with the expectation that they will wake between 6-8 the next morning. Do not indulge bad sleep habits and your child will never form them.