Helping Your Children Get a Good Night’s Sleep

I have written before about the importance of a good night’s sleep for your children. The Mayo Clinic just released an article about this issue and the impact the CoVid 19 pandemic has had on children sleeping well. Here is some important updated information for parents.

The Mayo Clinic stresses to have a sleep-friendly routine for children to follow each night. There should be a consistent time for them to go to sleep as well as to wake up. On the weekends, you can allow a later wake-up time, but no longer than one hour from the normal time. Sleeping too late in the morning will disrupt a child’s internal clock and it becomes harder for the child to go back to the regular schedule during the weekdays.

Also, parents should monitor their children’s activities when they actually are in bed. Children should not be allowed to have electronic devices with them in the bed, when it is time to sleep. The Mayo Clinic recommends turning off these devices at least 30 minutes to 1 hour before bedtime. It is critical that your children see their beds as times to go to sleep, and not times to be awake and busy doing other things.

Additionally, reading to your children and talking and praying with them are loving activities that help them settle down and begin the process of getting ready to go to sleep. Talk with them about subjects that may be troubling them. Usually, this helps children recognize their anxieties and allows them to better relax and sleep. Especially now during the CoVid 19 pandemic, children will have concerns about their safety and future. Help them to better understand what is happening and what steps you are taking to ensure their health and well-being.

Finally, monitor what you do as a family before bedtime. Physical activity during the day helps children sleep better. At dinnertime, lessen the foods and beverages with too much sugar. Energy drinks and other beverages with caffeine should not be allowed after 3 p.m.

It is especially tough for children during these times. Helping them to get a good night’s sleep is paramount for their ability to concentrate and perform well in school.

To read the entire article, visit:

https://newsnetwork.mayoclinic.org/discussion/mayo-clinic-q-and-a-healthy-sleep-habits-for-children/

Just what is dyslexia and what should we as parents know about it so that we can help our children? According to the Mayo Clinic, dyslexia is a reading disorder that affects the way that the brain processes language. It is mostly associated with children having difficulties learning to read and has nothing to do with the child’s intelligence. It is estimated that one in five children has dyslexia.

Before a child starts school, common symptoms include:

Late talking
Learning new words slowly
Problems forming words correctly, such as reversing sounds in words or confusing words that sound alike
Problems remembering or naming letters, numbers and colors
Difficulty learning nursery rhymes or playing rhyming games

Once the child is in school, it becomes easier to diagnose dyslexia as symptoms include:

Reading well below the expected level for age
Difficulty finding the right word or forming answers to questions
Problems remembering the sequence of things
Difficulty seeing (and occasionally hearing) similarities and differences in letters and words
Difficulty spelling
Spending an unusually long time completing tasks that involve reading or writing
Avoiding activities that involve reading

It is important to speak with your child’s doctor if your child is having any of these symptoms. Be diligent as the social impact of dyslexia can have a negative effect on your child and how he perceives himself. With assistance in forming strategies to compensate for various weaknesses, your child can excel socially and academically. Unfortunately, however, a person never outgrows dyslexia.

For more information, visit: