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Mollie Sleeping Bag from Out of the Toy Box

I’ve chuckled to myself  while watching my 10-month old grandson fight going to sleep at times, when I would give anything to be able to turn off the world and zone out for a power nap.  He doesn’t want to miss anything going on around him, but when he finally succumbs, he wakes up refreshed and in a much more cheerful mood.  It’s as simple as that.  Just sleep.

It is my personal opinion that the world would be a much happier place if it would simply get some sleep.  I know I feel better when I get a full eight hours of uninterrupted sleep a night.  Not that it happens often, but there is a noticeable difference when it does.

And if I, an almost 40-year old woman, can benefit from full eight hours of rest at night, what about babies, children, and teenagers, who experience rapid growth spurts and tremendous hormonal changes in their bodies on a daily basis?  How much sleep do children really need?

The answer is a lot more than we think and probably a lot more than they’re actually getting.  Of course, everybody is different, but I think this article has some good guidelines.

Here are some tips for helping your child get a good night’s rest:

• Turn off the television early. Give them some time to get that last show out of their mind.  This goes for the computer too.

• Read to them. It benefits them in more way than you can imagine.  It they are older, they can quietly read to themselves.

• Have them take a warm bath. A warm bath before bed is relaxing and calming.

• Adjust the temperature of the room. Everyone usually sleeps better when the temperature of the room is mild and on the cool side.  Shoot for between 65 and 70 degrees.

• Be consistent as possible with bedtimes.

• Be careful about late night snacking. Too much heavy food on the stomach can make it difficult to go to sleep and also to have peaceful sleep.  Foods that contain caffeine, such as chocolate and colas, should be avoided during the evenings.
  

  Augie Alligator Sleeping Bag from www.OutoftheToyBox.com

And speaking of sleep, these adorable sleeping bags would make any child want to hit the sack!