Have you considered the link between adequate sleep and academic performance? If a child doesn't receive adequate sleep at night, she probably won't be able to concentrate and perform well academically.
A child also might be less able to interact appropriately with peers and teachers when sleep-deprived. According to the article "Sleep and Student Performance at School" by Howard Taras and William Potts-Datema, published in the September Journal of School Health, children between the ages of 5 and 18 need nine hours of restful sleep every night.
Unfortunately, some children receive less than this, mostly because the working, eating and bedtime patterns of students and their families simply don't promote an adequate night's sleep.
These patterns could involve family members coming and going at unpredictable times. Quite often, the confusion of too many bedrooms as the child transitions from nights at Mom's, Dad's and Grandma's houses contributes to interrupted sleep. Too much food, not enough food or too much junk food adds to the problem. Children living without an established bedtime and a bedtime routine likely won't ease into a good night's sleep. Additionally, school might start too early or a child might have disrupted sleep from medical problems such as snoring.
When a child isn't performing well academically, parents wonder about learning disabilities, attention deficits and low intelligence quotients. A parent might consider hiring a tutor or asking the teacher for special assistance, testing or a different approach to learning.
But before embarking on any of these measures, see whether your child is receiving adequate sleep and, if not, decide what you can do about it. There's no way to force a child to fall asleep. To demand, insist or push a child to sleep more is a waste of time and most likely works against more sleep. Ultimate sleeping controls lie with the child, not the parents. But there are many things parents can do to support or contribute to an earlier bedtime and to sleeping routines. It's easiest to establish positive bedtime routines and sleep habits when children are preschool-age.
If you have a child who is in elementary school or high school who is not getting adequate sleep, your challenge is far greater.
Do what you can to make your child's bedroom a quiet sleep sanctuary rather than an entertainment center. Computers with Internet access, video games, DVD players, televisions and radios provide stimulation that could keep children awake rather than soothing them to sleep.
Each school year, establish a bedroom time, a time that your children need to be in their bedrooms with no electronic equipment blaring. You can allow, however, quiet music or an electronic fish tank that plays soft music. Avoid yelling at your child to "Get in your bedroom and fall asleep." Doing so will only create anxiety over bedtime, and falling and staying asleep.
Instead, oversee the bedtime routine while quietly and persistently guiding the child to an earlier and earlier bedtime. Gradual change might take weeks or even months. The reward for your efforts is a child who is healthier and more energetic, and has a better chance of reaching her academic and intellectual potential.
Jan Faull, a specialist in child development and behavior, answers questions of general interest in her column. You can e-mail her at janfaull@aol.com or write to: Jan Faull, c/o Families, The Seattle Times, P.O. Box 70, Seattle, WA 98111. More columns at www.seattletimes.com/columnists
