When I came back to Asia, I still remember how shocked I was to see babies and little toddlers still awake past 10pm at supermarkets, restaurants and malls. Some parents even bring their little children to watch late night movies at the cinemas!
I often wondered, “What time do they sleep? Don’t their parents mind about it? In the western countries, this is almost unheard of as children go to bed early and this is common practice among all families. Living in Asia has not changed my routine for my children, my little toddler goes to bed at 8pm every night while my 7 years olds sleep at 9pm.
Some of you may ask, there is no harm for my child to sleep later, right?
Your babies and children need ample amount of sleep everyday for their general well being. Just like adults, they need enough rest to function properly physically and mentally during the day. Lack of sleep caused them to be cranky, overtired and feeling lethargic.
How much sleep do our children need?
Babies need about 14-16 hours of sleep. Kindergarteners need about 10-12.5 hours of sleep each night with naps declining and disappearing usually by the age of 5. Primary school aged kids need 9.5-11.5 hours of sleep per night.
By fixing enough sleep and rhythm in your children’s life, the children’s yet-to-be-developed body will grow healthily and makes them more alert. The children’s life rhythm start to develop from the age of 4 months and complete by the age of 5~6 years old. Babies and children are not able to adjust their life’s rhythm on their own, only we parents can help them do that. That is why it is so important to get your children on a good sleep routine.
If you are concern about your children’s physical, brain and emotional growth development, please review their sleeping habits first. No amount of enrichment classes or tuitions will help your child’s development if they are not getting enough sleep. Good sleeping habits is the key to their physical and mental development.