From previous posts you may know that my youngest son Sam is not a morning person. 7AM comes much too early for him and getting ready for school is last on his list of things he wants to do. On the other end of the day…he does not think much of bed time either. If he could stay up until midnight he would. Well, he will be 7 this year and as I have said to him….enough is enough!

Someone needs to tell Sam he is not this old anymore!

Neither of these traits were ever cute, but I always thought he would outgrow them. I never dreamed that he would still be whining each morning when told to eat his breakfast or that he would still come out of his room 5 times AFTER being tucked in. At some point I just figured it would end, but it appears I was very wrong.

I have tried reasoning, ignoring and yelling…no approach seems to do the trick. I think I may just have to accept that he is a night person and mornings will always be rough for him. I have to hold onto hope that at 15 he won’t still be rolling around on the floor at 7:30 AM saying he hates getting dressed

I assume at some point he will find a way to still not like the morning routine and heading to bed at a decent hour, but contain himself and just push through it. Until that day…don’t call me around 7:30 AM or 7:30 PM…..it is not pretty here then.

Do you have a tween who still acts like a much younger child sometimes?

I don’t know if all tweens are like this, but my tween hates going to bed.  He won’t take a nap to save his life and is usually up pretty early.  He just has this zest for life and doesn’t want to miss a minute of it!

Since school has started, we are trying to be pretty strict with an early bedtime.  During the summer we are much more relaxed. I’m not talking about a late bedtime every night, I’m just not such a drill sargent about getting to bed right on time.

One thing I have learned is that things fall apart if my tween doesn’t get some sleep.  All of a sudden these really minor things or situations turn into all out DRAMA!!  I’m talking tears and other crazy behaviors.  He is a really great, happy kid….unless he is tired.  So, my solution to this is to just get him all the sleep he needs and realize if we let him stay up late…there just might be a meltdown on the horizon.

In my research, I found that tweens need at least nine hours of sleep a night.   I found peace in this once I did the math and found my tween is getting on average, about ten hours of sleep a night.

Here are a few other tips I found to help out your tween with their sleep:

1. Quit Caffeine

2. Establish a Transition (read a book, allow them to relax and have downtime before bed)

3. Stop Snacking

4. Kill the Light

5. Slow Down (re-think your schedule, maybe your tween is just too busy)

6. Children, Sleep and Stress – (your tween could quite possibly be stressed, check in and see how they are doing).

There are a few tips and tricks for you.  Good luck and get that tween of yours sleeping like a baby!!

What are some things you do to be sure your tween get adequate amount of sleep?

If someone were to ask if you felt sleep deprived, the answer would probably be YES.   When was the last time you got a good night’s rest?  Unfortunately, too many tweens are also suffering the same sleep deprivation.    Since the amount of sleep our bodies need vary with age, it is interesting to note that during puberty, the amount of rest needed increases.  Tweens need 9-10 hours of sleep a night.  Many are not getting adequate sleep, which can cause problems in school, with behavior, with moods, weight gain, anxiety and depression.   Our bodies need sleep!  Thankfully, as mothers I believe a higher power sustains us in strength and energy as we help our children grow. 

I personally was worried a few years ago with my daughter’s sleep habits.  We always had an early bedtime and she was difficult to wake in the morning.  She likes to take her time, but she also still was tired.  As a mom, you worry about thyroid issues, sleep apnea, mono, or any other sort of medical problem that could be causing it.  We don’t watch TV on school nights and she wasn’t having media influences at night.  She would complain about “not being able to shut her brain off.”  During this same time, she had begun snoring…a lot!

We were referred to an ENT to evaluate her.  He immediately suggested a sleep study be done.  I was the lucky one who got to sleep in a chair and watch my tween hooked up to all sorts of monitors, but in a very comfortable bed.  The results were astonishing.  Although, she wasn’t bad enough to be suffering from sleep apnea, she did show she woke at least 8 times during the night, meaning, her REM sleep wasn’t where it needs to be.  She subsequently had her tonsils and adenoid removed and things improved a bit. 

In our quest to help her get the sleep her body needed, we also realized that she just may need more sleep.  So, we modified her routine and stick to it as closely as possible.  It means she can’t always do things late on school nights.  It means that we don’t deviate on weekends.  Learning what your body needs is half the battle.  We still struggle at night “turning the brain off,” but at least she is realizing that doing nothing and relaxing is OK.  Her pediatrician reminded her not to play her Nintendo DS right before bedtime as that stimulates her brain, even though she may feel like it is vegetative.  I loved this article about tween sleep,   as it specifically gives ideas to help create a better sleep environment. 

Do you feel sleepless in your city?  Is your tween struggling with sleep issues and what do you do to help?  Suggestions?

We all know when it’s that time; for Vannah I know she’s tired when she starts whining and crying.  She may stop for a minute or two but always starts up again in just a brief second and makes a mountain over a mole hill.  Mallory gets a blank stare on her face and just dazes off into la-la land.   Dr. M. Breus states that sleep is just as important as a good diet and a nurturing environment. 

An article that I like to refer to says:

“Sleep is the power source that keeps your mind alert and calm. Every night and at every nap, sleep recharges the brain’s battery. Sleeping well increases brainpower just as weight lifting builds stronger muscles, because sleeping well increases your attention span and allows you to be physically relaxed and mentally alert at the same time. Then you are at your personal best.”

The following video highlights the importance and our society’s problems with adequate sleep can be viewed by the link below. 

Importance of Sleep with Kids

I think a huge problem lies in our schools.  One of my friends has a child in middle school and she has to leave the house at 6:19 AM.  I understand the bus shortages, but that’s a little on the early side, especially if involved in extracurricular activities. 

How do you encourage your children to sleep and more importantly, sleep enough?  How do you ensure they get good quality sleep?  Do you notice when they don’t get adequate rest?  Please share your comments below!

My oldest son almost jumps out of bed in the morning and he passes out when his head hits the pillow at 7:30 PM bedtime. He has always been a 12-hour sleeper. Because of this, getting ready for school in the AM is a breeze and bedtime is never an issue. All parents know that if you have one child who is this easy, you are due to have another who is the polar opposite.

If Sam could say up until midnight, he would. If his school day could start around 3PM that would be just perfect. Sadly, that is not the world we live in so he (and I) are left to deal with some very rough mornings and even bumpier nights.  He does not want breakfast because it is too early. When I do get him to eat,  it is two bites. I can get a big glass of milk in him so I tell myself he is ready for his day.  :)He manages to get through school, but once we are home, in the late afternoon, is when he really wakes up.

I am a morning person like my oldest Jake. I want to get up, get moving and get some things done. Sam takes after my husband. The difference is, at 5, Sam is still a growing boy and he can’t afford a bedtime of 11PM. Getting him to understand that is the hard part. Both boys go to bed at 7:30. Jake is in dreamland by 7:35, but we often hear Sam chatting away to himself until 8:30 or 9.

I can’t force him to fall asleep, but I do know my job as a mom is to get him into that bed and tell him why his sleep is so important. I know I cannot let him come out and watch TV or push us to let him stay up “just a little more.” I know he and I will butt heads on this one as long as he lives under our roof. I will be pushing him to get ready in the AM so we aren’t late and he will be whining and saying how much he hates it. I also know I am doing the right thing and this is all just payback for my great sleeper Jake

Does anyone else have bedtime or morning issues? What do you do to combat them and ease the stress they cause?