School has already started in some parts of the U.S., and will start everywhere any time now. What's the thing I worry about most for many kids and teens about to start the new learning year? Bedtime. Sleep. Enough sleep.
All summer long I've heard reports like this from all ages: "I stayed up all night last night," "We usually go to bed about 2 -3 a.m.," "I play my X-Box until time for my mom to go to work [in the morning]," and "We went to Target last night at midnight." Well, I wish them luck getting up in the morning once school starts...unless they start getting used to earlier bedtimes, and now.
It can easily take 2 weeks, or more, for anyone to re-acclimate to an earlier bedtime, especially children, so parents plan ahead now! Make sure you know when your kids are actually going to bed and, more importantly, going to sleep. Too many are now staying up longer than their parents, and no one knows for sure when they are getting to sleep. I guarantee it won't be a pretty picture if you wait until the first day of school to discover that Junior has been watching t.v. or playing video games until 4 a.m.!
Don't assume, either, that all is well once the rhythm of the school year starts. I hear similar late-night stories from every age group during the school year, too, not just in summer. And, those stories way too frequently include comments about how some of their teachers [note - I've only heard this from high-schoolers!] don't mind them sleeping in class.
What good actually comes to a 6 year old or 16 year old at school who slept maybe half as much as needed last night?
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