Enforcing Bedtimes Improves Kids' Health

My kids hate having a set bedtime. Carter is a master at dragging it out indefinitely. (Partially because he is interesting and older, so he gets away with it.) Tonight after we again had the conversation as to why he needs an 8:30pm bedtime, I stumbled upon this article. I just love it when I'm right.

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Enforcing Bedtimes Improves Kids' Health

(CNN) -- When Genevieve and Brian Skory were new to parenting, they allowed their two young kids to read or watch TV until they fell asleep. "It was an agitated frenzy until they would pass out," Genevieve Skory recalled. The weary parents broke up fights between their bickering children. The next morning, the house would be chaotic again. "I don't think it's good for kids to stay up until they fall asleep -- that's three hours later than they needed to go to sleep," she said.

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Setting bedtimes can improve sleep quality and quantity for infants and toddlers, according to a growing body of research. Not getting enough sleep affects children's behavior, memory, attention, and emotional well-being, experts said.

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"Sleep patterns and sleep routines matter because they have both long-term and short-term implications for health and cognitive development," said Lauren Hale, an assistant professor of preventive medicine at Stony Brook University Medical Center in Stony Brook, New York. "If it sets a pattern in the way you treat sleep or bedtimes, these patterns may last your whole life unknowingly."

Toddlers between the age of 1 and 3 need 12 to 14 hours of sleep. Children who lack sleep can have behavioral and emotional problems and cognitive developmental issues, sleep researchers said.

In many homes, bedtime still remains a battle of wills between parents and children. In their bustling household in Lathrup Village, Michigan, the four Skory children are now between the ages of 9 and 18. Genevieve Skory doesn't get the crying, temper tantrums or massive resistance anymore, but her younger kids still try to stay up late by peppering her with questions and last-minute requests for snacks. But Skory is adamant that bedtime is non-negotiable and this isn't enforced solely for their children's health.

"I believe in bedtime for parents' mental health," she said with a laugh.

Being Bryce

Babies are a lot of work. They need to be fed and changed and loved and held and then usually, fed again. But as much time as April requires, she is not the child that is causing me the most stress currently.

It is the one who should be wearing these clothes
that is giving me grief.

Bryce's newest behavior is to take all of his clothes off, including diaper, which may or may not contain remains that then end up on the floor. This morning while I was feeding April, he took off all of his clothes while I shouted from across the room, "Bryce, leave your clothes on! Bryce, don't take off your clothes! Bryce, DON'T TAKE OFF YOUR DIAPER." As you can see, it was very effective.

He then dumped out all the packing peanuts that were in a gift box from a friend.

Then he smashed up the peanuts into small pieces.
Why? I don't know.

Then, while I was cleaning up the peanuts, he climbed up on the counter in my bathroom and began pulling fun items out of the drawers. (I have no idea how he gets on the counter, he must step on the drawer handles.)
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He gave himself a shave and got some floss.
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After I got him dressed and sent him on his way, he snuck into the pantry and found the last of the chocolate cake. Yes, it was delicious. And now, it is all over the floor.

I think I know why I am chronically tired. And it isn't because I am up every morning at 2am to feed a baby. But really, how mad can you get at a face like that?