BCBA Corner: Sleep? Who Needs That?

Are you a parent/caregiver surviving the ‘team no sleep’ club? Are you a parent/caregiver who feels shock when a friend says their child ‘slept great’ throughout the night? Are you also a parent/caregiver who has to grab 5 refills after being tucked in or slip out of the room once the kiddo is asleep? Well, I am right there with you and decided I had enough days wearing ‘bags’ under my eyes, so enter continuing education courses covering nothing but sleep. Below are some ‘star’ tips that have reduced my ‘bags’ and may help you, too - You all look great, no bags. So lucky!

Based on age, a child should be awake across a 24 hour period for a listed amount of hours, and this helps determine a bedtime for the child. Going to bed too early can cause the child to be sleep resistant whereas going to bed too late can cause the child to be overtired. Here is a quick reference point:

• 1 year old - 5 hours

• 2 years old - 6 hours

• 3 years old - 6 to 12 hours

• 4 years old - 13 hours

• 5 to 7 years old - 14 hours

• 8 years old and up - 15 hours

Chelsey Tennant, BCBA