Teach your children good sleeping habits

Donya Betancourt, Pediatrician, Sanur, Bali, drdonya@hotmail.com

Between six and 12 months, separation anxiety may become a major issue for your baby -- this is when babies often become attached to a stuffed animal or blanket as a nighttime companion.

The rules for nighttime awakenings are the same through a baby's first birthday: don't turn on the lights, don't sing, talk, play, or feed. All these activities encourage repeat behavior.

Remember to stop in to check on a crying baby and make sure he or she is not sick or in need of a diaper change. Institute the five-minute visit pattern if the child continues to cry (go in wait five minutes then go again).

From ages one to three, most toddlers sleep about 10 to 13 hours. The desire to be up with mom and dad and not miss anything including separation anxiety can motivate a child to stay awake.

You may note the time of night when your toddler begins to show signs of sleepiness, and try establishing this as his regular bedtime. Establishing a routine at bedtime helps a child relax and get ready for sleep. For a toddler or preschooler, the routine may be anywhere from 15 to 30 minutes long and include calming activities such as reading a story, bathing and listening to soft music.

However, just don't allow rituals to become too long or too complicated. Whenever possible, allow your toddler to make bedtime choices within the routine: which pajamas to wear, which stuffed animal to take to bed, what music to play. This gives the child a sense of control over the proceedings.

Even the best sleepers give parents an occasional wake-up call. Teething can awaken a toddler, and so can dreams, as active dreaming begins at this age so carefully select what TV programs your toddler watches before bedtime.

Preschoolers sleep about 10 to 12 hours per night, but there is no reason to be completely rigid about which 10 to 12 hours they are. If a 5-year-old gets adequate rest at night, he no longer needs a daytime nap. Instead, a quiet time may be substituted. Most nursery schools and kindergartens have brief quiet periods when the children lie on mats or just rest.

A five-year-old child may still have nightmares, and there may be nights when he has trouble falling asleep. Some parents prepare a "nighttime kit" such as a book, and a cassette player and story tape to pass the time and relax your child. Put it in a special place in your child's room where he can get to it in the middle of the night.

A six-year-old child may need about 11 or 12 hours of sleep. An occasional source of bedtime difficulties at this age results from a child's need for private time with his parents, without siblings around. A good time to give him this private time is a little before his bedtime, which is probably his own. His special time can be used to share confidences and have small discussions, which will also prepare him for sleep.

The amount of sleep needed decreases with age. Generally a 12- year-old needs only 10 hours, but it is up to parents to judge the amount of rest the child needs and see that he is in bed in time for sufficient sleep. Allow a school-age child to choose his bedtime on weekends, depending on the events planned for the following day.

While there is no one sure way to raise a good sleeper, every parent should be encouraged to know that most children have the ability to sleep well. Establish a bedtime routine including stick to the time, alerting your child both a half an hour and 10 minutes beforehand, again allowing your child to choose the pajamas, the stuffed animal, etc. Tuck your child into bed snugly for a feeling of security. The key is to persevere from early on to establish healthy sleep habits that should last a lifetime.