sleepless and restless

Lack of sleep is a killer for my kids, in particular Luca.  We try to keep to a regular 'lights out' time of 8pm for him at 10 years old (much to his complaint), and he needs every hour until I wake him at 7.15 the next morning.

Getting those eleven and a quarter hours can often be difficult.   Judo classes finish at 7.30pm (we've cut back to once a week instead of two).  And right now he has the fantastic opportunity through school to learn to snowboard on Friday evenings on the floodlit pistes at Mount Hood, but the downside is a very late Friday night for 8 weeks - 11pm if we are lucky!

He also struggles to settle at night.  Twisting and turning.  "I can't sleep." "Mum what about this?" "Dad I forgot to tell you something."  "I need another drink of milk." (our kiddos always have warm milk before bed).  Up and down the stairs. Why does this happen?  I know as soon as my head touches the pillow I close my eyes and rest!  And he know's he's tired too.

Of course, lack of sleep is best friends with lack of attention, self-control, grumpiness and bad behaviour.  I bad combination all round.

So we are making some changes.  'Normal' evenings at home we are establishing an earlier meal time for the kids so they aren't too full at bed time.  No screens for Luca after meal time.  No sleepovers (I feel bad about this but sleepovers A L W A Y S mean lack of sleep don't they.).  And lights out 7.45pm.   It can be a problem.  And what 10 year old wants to go to bed almost the same time as his 4 year old sister?  But I can deal with the "your mean" comments if it solves all the other sleep deprived issues.

Any tips you have for getting kids a good night's sleep would be most gratefully received.

Sleep well. x