A weekly post from a busy mom concerned about raising healthy children.
I gave myself a parental pat on the back as I read the CNN article on the benefits of a regular bedtime for children. I am of the frame of mind that a nighttime routine for kids (and parents!) is good. Ours is simple, it works (95% of the time) and it ends with a 7.30 bedtime. This is nice for the whole family; our kids get the sleep they need, and my husband and I are able to finish conversations, exercise, or watch an episode of Anthony Bourdain's No Reservations and imagine a time when we can go back to Spain for two weeks...but I digress.
With the lack of sleep linked to obesity, especially in children, we need to recognize and embrace simple solutions--like a regular bedtime--ensuring our kids get the right amount of sleep. My kids get 10-14 hours of sleep each night--my daughter is on the lower end and could use another hour to make it through the day without a melt-down, but for the most part the regular bedtime ensures well-rested, usually happy kids.
Without question, more research needs to be done to understand the correlation of lack of sleep and childhood obesity but until we have all the answers, we'll stick to our routine.
Leave a comment