With tips for elementary aged children to high school youth, a Time report provides summer sleep tips for parents to establish healthy patterns for kids.
The summer break from school offers kids a break from the daily grind of classes—and a chance to catch up on rest.
As any parent knows, a tired kid is a moody kid. But kids who don’t have good sleep habits long term can face a host of other problems, according to Jodi Mindell, professor of psychology at St. Joseph’s University and author of Take Charge of Your Child’s Sleep.
“There’s no question that there’s a link between not getting enough sleep and symptoms of depression,” Mindell says. And, she says, lack of sleep also hurts kids’ cognitive abilities, “everything you need to do well in school: memory, attention, and decision making.” Not only that, but poor sleep is also linked with everything from obesity to pedestrian safety.
The good news is that the summer break can be a good time for families to reset their sleep, forming healthy patterns that will carry them through the new school year.
