The fact is well established that children thrive when their lives are run on a schedule. This may evoke images of rigid British nannies and be a foreign concept to modern parents, but research backs this up. A regular routine cuts stress way down for children and promotes domestic tranquility in the home. Bedtime rituals for children are a treasured part of childhood for many people and sometimes are the closest families get to a daily routine.
The word ritual evokes religious ceremony, but that is not the definition of the word. Ritualistic mainly means that the act is practiced regularly and invested with a sense of importance. Certain components are repeated every time, which makes it perfect as a part of a child's regular routine.
Sleep deprivation is a health hazard, and many children suffer from this because they don't go to bed early enough or sleep soundly through the night. This puts a strain on all members of the family. An established time for bed can help children settle at night, and it gives parents a much-needed break in the evening. Scheduling this time - if no other - can improve the quality of family life.
There is other research, as well, that supports the idea of a time of preparation for sleep. All of us - not just the young - should turn off television and computers at least an hour before retiring for the night. There is something about the 'blue light' involved in electronics that sends wake-up signals to the brain. Soft yellow light sends go-to-sleep signals, and complete darkness reinforces the body's natural sleep cycle.
So - getting the kids away from the television and making computer games off-limits in the evening is a good thing. If a special time is set for this end-of-day restriction, other things can be substituted. One way to do this is to send the kids off to get in their pajamas - with as much help as is necessary - and brush their teeth. A warm bath is known to enhance restful night, so this could be included, too.
Then the old tradition of reading a story can hardly be bettered. With kids ready to climb in bed and settle down, now is the time for some quality parent-child interaction. Stories can be simply read, but they can also be discussed along with things that happened that day. Children may fall asleep during this time, but even if they don't, they'll be relaxed when it's time to turn off the lights.
Other usual activities that people include in the evening routine are saying prayers, reading scripture, singing lullabies or other songs, listening to music, or reading quietly to oneself. Anything that helps kids relax is good, so roughhousing and noise should be discouraged. For older kids, read a chapter of a long, enthralling story each night. Finally, mom and dad can tuck kids in and kiss them goodnight.
Many, if not most, adults have trouble following a schedule, even though they might try it and see how well it works. Fortunately, bedtime is one part of the day which can be set and used for bonding between parents and children. This has many benefits, and most people remember these times fondly all their life.
The word ritual evokes religious ceremony, but that is not the definition of the word. Ritualistic mainly means that the act is practiced regularly and invested with a sense of importance. Certain components are repeated every time, which makes it perfect as a part of a child's regular routine.
Sleep deprivation is a health hazard, and many children suffer from this because they don't go to bed early enough or sleep soundly through the night. This puts a strain on all members of the family. An established time for bed can help children settle at night, and it gives parents a much-needed break in the evening. Scheduling this time - if no other - can improve the quality of family life.
There is other research, as well, that supports the idea of a time of preparation for sleep. All of us - not just the young - should turn off television and computers at least an hour before retiring for the night. There is something about the 'blue light' involved in electronics that sends wake-up signals to the brain. Soft yellow light sends go-to-sleep signals, and complete darkness reinforces the body's natural sleep cycle.
So - getting the kids away from the television and making computer games off-limits in the evening is a good thing. If a special time is set for this end-of-day restriction, other things can be substituted. One way to do this is to send the kids off to get in their pajamas - with as much help as is necessary - and brush their teeth. A warm bath is known to enhance restful night, so this could be included, too.
Then the old tradition of reading a story can hardly be bettered. With kids ready to climb in bed and settle down, now is the time for some quality parent-child interaction. Stories can be simply read, but they can also be discussed along with things that happened that day. Children may fall asleep during this time, but even if they don't, they'll be relaxed when it's time to turn off the lights.
Other usual activities that people include in the evening routine are saying prayers, reading scripture, singing lullabies or other songs, listening to music, or reading quietly to oneself. Anything that helps kids relax is good, so roughhousing and noise should be discouraged. For older kids, read a chapter of a long, enthralling story each night. Finally, mom and dad can tuck kids in and kiss them goodnight.
Many, if not most, adults have trouble following a schedule, even though they might try it and see how well it works. Fortunately, bedtime is one part of the day which can be set and used for bonding between parents and children. This has many benefits, and most people remember these times fondly all their life.
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