How the Day Care of a Child Can Affect Sleep

Mums Tips

Childcare

Published on Monday, 05 May 2014 19:00

Last Updated on 01 May 2014

Ken Myers

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Setting consistent bedtimes and creating a night time ritual isn’t always enough to ensure that children (and parents!) can get a great night of sleep. The foundation for a solid rest starts during the day time. Working with your spouse, your childcare provider, and yourself to make sure that your child gets a full night’s rest is imperative to keeping babies and parents happy.

 

Keep a Consistent Schedule

Standard questions for nannies often include activities and meal times, but parents rarely ask for a full breakdown of their child’s schedule. Often, nannies provide a consistent schedule and many children respond positively to that uniformity. If you find your child is napping great during your nanny’s scheduled nap time during the week, you can make sure that during weekends and holidays you keep that schedule so your child rests easy at night.

Limit Screen Time

Too many hours staring at the screen can lead to moodiness, addictive behavior, and restlessness at night. Researchers have found that even 1.5 hours of time in front of the television can negatively affect sleep. To help small children sleep through the night, severely limit the amount of time they spend with their LeapPads or sitting in front of the television.

Increase Exercise for a Good Night’s Sleep

Adults are always being touted the benefits of exercise in getting a full eight hours of sleep but the same reasoning holds true for children.. Ensuring that children get time outside every day to play and move will help them get a full night’s rest.

Set a Bed Time and Wake Time

Setting a consistent bedtime is a hallmark of keeping children’s sleep schedules in check but parents should also establish a consistent time to wake up. Having children keep two separate schedules, one for the work week and another for the weekend, can confuse their internal clock and make bedtimes harder. Set a time to wake up and keep it consistent throughout the week.

A good night’s sleep truly begins the minute your child wakes up. Keeping a consistent wake up call, ensuring that children get adequate but not overwhelming activity, and trying to provide a structured schedule for naps will keep kids well rested and happy. Following these tips for great day care will ensure that bedtime goes smoothly and quickly.