According to the University of Michigan Health System, school aged children need approximately 9 to 12 hours of sleep per night. If the child is unable to fall asleep on his own after 15 to 30 minutes, then he may need your help to get to sleep at night. Not getting the right amount of sleep can affect his alertness during the day and you may have difficulty waking him up in the morning. Develop a bedtime routine from an early age to help encourage good sleep habits.
Step 1
Find the ideal bedtime and stick with it. If you notice signs of fatigue in your child, such as rubbing the eyes and yawning, check the time. Then try to aim for a bedtime 30 minutes before she shows these cues. Waiting too long may lead to her getting a second wind and late burst of energy.
Step 2
Decide on something to do together before bed. Relax him by singing a lullaby or reading a book together each night before bed. Choose short, light-hearted books that will not frighten the child.
Step 3
Use light to help a child go to sleep. A suggestion from the University of Michigan Health System is to dim lights in the evening at bedtime while exposing the child to bright light in the morning.
Step 4
Stay nearby. School-age children may resist going to bed due to fears about dying or nightmares. Help her go to sleep by agreeing to stay nearby, but not in the same room. The Dr. Heller website recommends that if she keeps calling for you, tell her you will go downstairs.
Step 5
Monitor his screen time. Nightmares may be triggered by a video game, movie or television show that is not age appropriate. If you suspect something scary is triggering nightmares and difficulty sleeping, eliminate his exposure to it. Avoid any TV too close to bedtime.
