3 tips to help your kid get a good night's sleep

You probably already know that sleep impacts many aspects of a child’s life. In addition to mood, lack of sleep can cause problems such as:

• Reduced coping skills
• Acting out
• Feeling stressed or worried

So what can you do to help children get good sleep?

1. Establish a schedule. That even means on weekends. It’s hard to give up sleeping in on weekends but having similar wake up and bedtimes every day helps. If you do get off schedule (due to illness, vacation, etc.), ease back into your regular schedule in 30-minute increments.
2. Set a bedtime routine. Routines help create expectations. Even infants and young children will go to bed more easily if they’ve come to expect going to bed after things like a bath or story time. Avoid screens 30-60 minutes before bed; this can wake children up more than it relaxes them (even teens).
   
   
3. Try the Bedtime Ticket. If you have a child who keeps getting out of bed for “one more thing,” you may want to try giving them a bedtime ticket. Download it now!

• Start with giving them 2 or 3 and over a week or two reduce it to fewer.
• In order to get out of bed, they must produce their ticket. They then need to quickly address their issue (another drink, a hug, etc.) and return to bed.
• If they are out of tickets, instruct them to go back to bed and try to avoid giving them attention

when should I contact a doctor?

If your child is struggling to fall asleep and stay asleep for more than 2 weeks, you may want to contact your child’s pediatrician. Other things to look out for include:

• Loud breathing or snoring that wakes your child up
• Drowsiness during the day when they seem to be getting plenty of sleep at night

By using these sleep tips, you can help your child fall asleep and stay asleep. Getting more sleep will help their mental health, improve their concentration and boost their physical health as well.

download the bedtime ticket to use at home

Is your child always asking to get out of bed for "one more thing?" If so, you're going to want to try giving them a bedtime ticket!

Here's how to use the bedtime ticket:

1. Start with giving them 2 or 3 and over a week or two reduce it to fewer.
2. In order to get out of bed, they must produce their ticket. They then need to quickly address their issue (another drink, a hug, etc.) and return to bed.
3. If they are out of tickets, instruct them to go back to bed and try to avoid giving them attention

Download the bedtime ticket here (or download it en español aquí). 

staying mentally fit

By promoting better sleep habits for kids, we can help them stay  physically and mentally fit.  

That’s why during Mental Health Awareness Month in May, we’re on a campaign to focus on being mentally fit, what that means and how you can achieve it for yourself while also supporting the kids in your life. Read more about staying mentally fit here.