There are times when parents do not notice the time their children should spend in bed; they do not think about the hours they need to sleep and put them to bed and wake them up according to the needs of the family, instead of the needs of the little ones. Not having routines at bedtime can harm children. They need rest; it is just as important as eating.
How much should they sleep?
Children need to sleep some hours, depending on their age group. For example, children from 1 to 2 years old should sleep from 11 to 14 hours a day, from 3 to 5 years from 10 to 13 hours, and children from 6 to 12 years old, from 9 to 12 hours.
These data are indicative, and there will be children who should sleep more and others who should sleep less. They will do it according to their physical needs, but it is important to respect the minimum hours by age groups so that the little ones have a good rest, and therefore, a good development.
Why should they sleep early every day?
That your children have to go to sleep early because you should not change, and the best time is from 8.30 to 9.30, depending on the time they have to get up in the morning the next day. Children should have the routine of going to bed early. After all, they will be happier, know when to go to sleep, and have more capacity to learn the next day because they have had enough rest. Besides, and of course, their health must sleep the appropriate hours in the day.
Having your children go to sleep early will bring them physical, emotional, and cognitive benefits. If you still do not have routines for your children to go to sleep and do not have a schedule each night, it is time for you to believe it, and those habits change forever.
Reasons why children should go to bed early
Your children need to rest, and here are several reasons why children go to sleep soon.
Better rest
Children who go to sleep later in the night will have more trouble falling asleep and staying asleep through the night. This can lead to multiple awakenings, lighter dreams, nightmares, and even night terrors during the night. If they go to bed early, they will rest better.
Fewer tantrums
Kids who don’t sleep the hours should have more tantrums, and this study shows it. The study makes it clear that children who go to bed before the night are less irritable the next day, are less aggressive, and are also less likely to have tantrums or to be irritable about anything; all are advantages!
Better development in motor skills
As if that were not enough, a Japanese study showed that children who did not sleep enough or went to sleep late at night were more likely to suffer delays in their motor skills, both gross and fine, and could also suffer a delay in language and social skills. All this, in comparison with those children who did have stable routines to go to sleep and who also did it at an early hour.
Less stress for parents
Parents also find great benefits in having their children go to bed earlier. They will suffer from less stress, have a better mental health state, and can relax more easily than those parents whose children go to bed later and who sleep worse at night because of this.