Thursday, October 20, 2022 Volume 17 Issue 6
The importance of sleep for a child – or for any of us! – cannot be underestimated. When students come to school well-rested, it is easier for them to attend to instruction and produce their best effort. When they haven’t slept well, getting through the day becomes more of a challenge. Sleep is important to other aspects of children’s health and development, too. Pediatric researchers are also connecting inadequate sleep with health risks such as developing diabetes, becoming overweight, and learning and attention problems. Getting enough rest boosts children’s immune systems, reducing the chance of them getting sick and missing time from school.
We often hear parents mention the difficulty of getting their child into a good sleep routine. Here are some tips from Parents Magazine:
Create a solid routine: Keep to a consistent bedtime. Having a set routine of bath, teeth brushing and bedtime stories helps a child know that it is time to wind down. Sticking to this as much as possible on the weekend, too, can help a child fall to sleep more easily.
Set the stage for sleep: Remove distractions from your child’s room that may interfere with sleep. Make sure the room is sufficiently dark and the temperature is not overly warm or cool. Devices or electronics are best kept stored in another room. There is evidence that the light generated by computer screens (including tablets and phones) lowers children’s melatonin levels – the chemical that signals your body to sleep. Try to avoid screen time close to bed time.
Add another bedtime story: Listening to books being read to them is a great way to help your child wind down for sleep. Being read to also helps children develop vocabulary and phonemic awareness – skills that will aid in their reading development.
Run a sleep audit: Pay attention to the amount of sleep your child is getting, even writing it down for a week or more. Is your child waking frequently in the night? Track this, too. You may be surprised by what you find. Try getting your child to bed thirty minutes earlier for a week and see what impact that has on your child’s behavior.
Consider a medical check-up: If sleep issues persist despite your efforts, or if your child continues to seem overly tired despite getting the recommended amount of sleep, talk to your child’s pediatrician. Certain medical conditions can interfere with children’s sleep and impact their health and learning. Your doctor can help you determine if this is a concern for your child.
FTME GENERAL MEETING Wednesday, October 26 In the Thurgood Marshall Elementary School Library ALL ARE WELCOME 6PM - Social 6:30PM - Meeting Starts
Please join us Wednesday, October 26th for a Friends of Thurgood Marshall General Community Meeting. We will be in the Thurgood Marshall library with social time and mingling from 6-6:30. Our meeting with then start at 6:30 with a Principal Update, an FTME Board Update, and a presentation from fellow Thurgood Marshall parents Kirsten Ecklund and Dionne Malatesta who will be speaking about Special Education on behalf of the Special Ed PTSA.
Their agenda includes:
-Inclusion and primary service types at TM
-Seattle Special Ed PTSA and Resources
-New SSEPTSA Guide (in English + top 8 languages).
Questions? Contact us at pta@tmlink.org.
We look forward to seeing you.
