According to Doctor Marc Weissbluth, a children’s sleep expert, and the late Tracy Hogg, who was my life saviour for T1 (and the best book I’d recommend for every new mother), most people underestimate the importance of sleep in children. Especially in Asia, where I see most kids staying up really late and then having to wake really early and clearly not getting enough sleep, then having long afternoon naps, and are always over-tired, I feel for these children. If you read both these books, you will know why.
And ever since I read these two books, I made it my responsibility to ensure T1 had enough sleep every single day because really, they are children and if you left them to their devices, they’d stay up as long as they can before passing out. Children who have proper sleep habits are generally brighter and more alert. Of course, there are people who are totally rigid with their kids sleep (and not go out for dinner at all!) but I’ve chosen to take a more flexible approach, meaning we have a set bedtime every day except for exceptions and during those exceptions, I’d force her down for a nap to make up for the lost hours.
T1 generally gets 12 hours sleep in total everyday and no naps. She is almost 6 years old. People tell me that no way their kids can sleep so early but really, it is all in the training and knowing how to look out for tired signs before they get their second wind. Some kids can survive on less sleep so you need to assess what is the best number of hours for your child.
I’ve gone with 12 hours even though T1 used to function very well with only 9-10 hours because I noticed a marked difference when she had 12 hours. She woke up happy and chirpy, she was much more alert, there wasn’t a single morning whinge and she was full of energy and ideas – at 7am!
The downside to not having enough sleep is a grumpy wumpy child. No matter what you say or do, it is still wrong! I’m sure many parents have experienced this at bedtime or towards bedtime when meltdown occurs. It is clearly because the child is over-tired. In fact, most day time tantrums are caused by over-tired kids. I used to see it with T1 and now I know that if she gets enough sleep, there will be no problems.
It really is the same for us adults, isn’t it? So why would we expect any more from our children?
**************************************************************************Who is Mamapumpkin?
Mamapumpkin is a former Design Architect turned Multi-Million Dollar Digital Entrepreneur. She sets out to prove to all that you can have anything and everything that you want; if you have that fire of desire burning within and the drive to work hard. Even better with much love.
Mamapumpkin has not only grown corporate businesses successfully in the past and doubled her salary 5 times over 5 organisations but has grown THREE BUSINESSES to 7 FIGURES within an 8 year period. She now shows others EXACTLY HOW after retiring her own husband from employment. He is now the official dog walker, family driver, chef and THE BEST FATHER to their two girls and THE BEST HUSBAND to the woman who CHOSE HIM!
Mamapumpkin is the girl who has nothing but fights for everything including YOU. She is idealistic in her desire to put unbelievable amounts of money and extrardinary happiness into the lives of good people so we can change the world together believing in happiness for ALL. She strives to impact lives authentically wanting to reduce poverty cycles and enable quality education for all and always supports the voiceless. She believes we can all have a life of our own desires to enable real contribution into the world. But first, one needs to understand what this all means.
A beautiful life without limits.
If you wish to learn how to propel your life forward guaranteed, be brave to take action. Mamapumpkin's purpose is to build people. Her gift is to help them UNCOVER their HIDDEN GIFTS. She operates fairly and always leaves an impression. You either love her or not and she is alright either way.
She is a living testimony that women really can have a lot. Being financially and time free has enabled her to travel the world anytime, anywhere, doing anything with anyone, as she spends most of her days with her children, having fun, supporting others wherever she can. Also having fun.
