Bedtimes for Tweens and Teens

Most experts agree that today's teens and tweens aren't getting enough sleep. Research shows that lack of sleep can impair everything from personal relationships to how well kids do in school. No matter what age your child is, it is imperative that she get enough sleep each night.

Setting the Bedtime

Regardless of what your teen thinks, the experts seem to agree that it is a good idea for all kids to have a bedtime. Teens and tweens need 9-10 hours of sleep per night in order to really be rested and ready to take on the day. If you don't set a bedtime routine that includes a guideline for when to go to bed, there is a good chance that your child won't be meeting that recommendation.

Bedtimes for Older Kids

Most teens and tweens will respond to a bedtime as part of the rules. If you aren't accustomed to enforcing a bedtime, you may get some resistance. Follow these tips to establish and keep a bedtime routine:

• Get to know how much sleep your child needs. You will probably see a difference in her attitude when she doesn't get enough sleep.
• Speak to your child about setting a bedtime and why it's necessary. Get her input on what time she thinks is a good time, but don't allow her opinion to be the sole decision factor.
• Encourage her to follow a bedtime routine and rules by using a chart that details your expectations. That way your child will know what needs to be done before bed, and you will be using positive reinforcement to hold her accountable.
• Stay consistent with enforcing bedtime. If you don't, then you will continuously have arguments about it. But if your child knows that bedtime is not negotiable, then she will not waste her time fighting about it.
• Consider extending bedtime by one hour extra on the weekend or even letting your child earn that extra hour as a privilege.
• Set a time by which your child has to be out of bed. Just as bedtimes are important, so too are the times that kids get out of bed. Although young teens may want to stay in bed all morning, doing so might mean that she'll stay up later at night and throw off her routine.

Sleep Easy

When your young teen is getting enough sleep, you will notice a difference in her behavior. She will be able to think more clearly, will be less moody, and will most likely be a better student. With some consistency, you will have your tween following an evening routine that includes a bedtime, with ease!