Kids: Behavioral Problems or Poor Sleep?
With autumn's leaves in their full glory, summer can feel like a distant memory, yet some parents still struggle with regaining control over a structured bedtime at a reasonable hour on a school night.
The struggle of bedtime is real for many parents, yet the importance of sleep for a developing child cannot be overlooked. Research points to sleep as a major contributor of a child's ability to emotionally regulate and an important factor when considering behavioral problems.
For parents, it can be hard to decipher whether the difficulties they are experiencing with their children are actually due to behavioral problems or poor sleep. Considering that the two are directly correlated, it can be very difficult to break the negative cycle as well as figure out the source of the issue.
With that said, bedtime can be especially challenging for children with behavioral problems, but luckily, there are things to do to alleviate some of the hardships of bedtime. Turning off screens (whether they be tvs, tablets or phones,) a few hours before bedtime, as well as a consistent structured routine at the same time every evening that incorporates nurturing activities, such as stories or a foot massage, can all help.
Watoto: Matatizo ya Tabia au Usingizi Mbaya? Wakati majani ya vuli yanapokuwa katika utukufu wao kamili, majira ya joto yanaweza kuhisi kama kumbukumbu ya mbali, lakini wazazi wengine bado wanashindana na kupata udhibiti juu ya wakati wa kulala kwa wakati unaofaa usiku wa shule. Wakati wa kulala ni muhimu kwa wazazi wengi, lakini umuhimu wa usingizi kwa mtoto unakua. Utafiti unaonyesha kwamba usingizi ni sehemu muhimu ya uwezo wa mtoto wa kudhibiti hisia zake na ni jambo muhimu wakati wa kufikiria matatizo ya tabia. Kwa wazazi, inaweza kuwa vigumu kugundua ikiwa matatizo wanayoyapata na watoto wao ni kwa sababu ya matatizo ya tabia au usingizi mbaya. Kwa kuzingatia kwamba hizi mbili zina uhusiano wa moja kwa moja, inaweza kuwa ngumu sana kuvunja mzunguko mbaya na pia kujua chanzo cha tatizo. Wakati wa kulala inaweza kuwa ngumu sana kwa watoto wenye matatizo ya tabia, lakini kuna mambo ya kufanya ili kupunguza baadhi ya matatizo ya kulala. Kufunga skrini (ama ni TV, kompyuta kibao au simu) masaa machache kabla ya kulala, pamoja na utaratibu thabiti wa utaratibu wakati huo huo kila jioni ambao unajumuisha shughuli za kulea, kama vile hadithi au massage ya miguu, zote zinaweza kusaidia.