Partners in Parenting

“A Wonderful “Drug” for your Kids!”

I don’t know anyone currently addicted to drugs, but I’ve known a few during my lifetime.  With the drugs, they are happy, content, outgoing, and generally satisfied with life.  Without the drugs, they have been irritable, “crazy,” depressed, and generally discontent with life.  The drugs I’m referring to above would be things like nicotine, alcohol, prescription drugs, and other street drugs.  I’m not talking about antibiotics or drugs to help cure diseases.

So here’s a great “drug” for your kids – SLEEP!  This past weekend, things just happened so that by Monday morning I was so sleep deprived, I did not feel like myself.  I was irritable, “crazy,” depressed, and generally discontent with life.  I ended up sleeping most of Monday, and then Monday night.  Today (Tuesday), I feel like a normal human being again.  I got my “fix” of the sleep my body was craving.  I found some research from the Sleep Foundation recommending kids between age 5 and 17 get between 8.5 and 11 hours of sleep each night.  The foundation recommends 7 - 9 hours of sleep for adults.  It is also understood that individuals all require different amounts based upon their own individuality.

However, I’d bet most of the people I see each day do not get enough sleep to be well rested.  Sleep is a wonderful “drug” for our kids – and all of us.  Rest is obviously important enough that God decided to get some:  “By the seventh day God had finished the work he had been doing; so on the seventh day he rested from all his work.”  Genesis 2:2

Family Discussion Points!

Does everyone in your family get enough rest each night, in general?

Why do you or why don’t you get enough rest – answers can be very different for each person.

Could/Should your family consider bedtimes for everyone?  Think about it a bit this week.