Antoinette's Page

Vol. 2, No. 41, Monday, March 5th, 2012

TITLE: “BEDTIME FOR KIDS: I have comments & tips about routine, sleeping habits, stories and more!*”  

INTRODUCTION 

Again, we’re on the topic of raising our children.  Today I will talk about bedtime and stories for children. My subject is the importance of a good night’s sleep for kids. My book of the week is: “Classic Treasury Of Best-Loved Bedtime Stories” [Hardcover] by Penny Dann (Author) (Editor’s Note: This is another post in a continuing series on family, child rearing and education.) 

PREVIEW (Sunday, March 11^th, 2018): Quick, I am turning green…Oh, not to worry,  St- Patrick’s Day is coming on March 17th. What do you expect…that I’m in the pink? For the Irish in all of  us, let’s celebrate! When you come for a look-see, bring with a four- leaf clover. See you then. (Editor’s Note: This is another post in a continuing series on holidays and special dates. (Sorry, for the rescheduling.) 

BONUS PREVIEW (Sunday, March 18^h, 2012): Back to kids, I am now thinking about school dress codes, the good, the bad and the ugly! Some say: “The tie and grey flannel pant/skirt, white shirt/blouse, cardigan, outfit looks trim and proper, building school spirit. Others say: “It’s stuffy and pretentious building uniformity. It’s better to have fashion and putting the best foot forward even in grade school of course in high school. It’s about learning. Afraid about prefect-monitors not the fashion police …. Join the debate.  (Editor’s Note: This is another post in a continuing series on family, child rearing and education.) 

MY LIFE & TIMES* 

Childhood: My parents put my brothers and me to bed at a certain hour and that was that … no bedtime stories.  

Motherhood: My daughters were not easy to put to bed.  By the time dinner was done and their baths were given, it was time to wind down. Of course, I read each of them a bedtime story. They had their favorites and I had to read them often.  At times, when the stories were too long, I would try to skip over some parts, but they were quick to object and point out the parts that I had missed.  

Grand-motherhood: My daughter, now a mother herself, is very strict about bedtime. It is very important for her to get her kids into bed at the right hour. My grandkids also fight sleep till they can no longer keep their eyes open.  

THE AUTHOR:  Penny Dann 

Penny Dann attended Brighton College of Art. She received a degree in Visual Communication.  During the years, 1994 through 2000, she travelled in Australia and America.  This free spirit has an intuitive insight into young children. She lives in Brighton, England, but she has become a great communicator for kids everywhere.  Doodles led to acclaimed illustrations, poetry and humor included.  She has worked in line & wash, watercolor & pencil, gouache, and acrylic. She has soft-toy books and pop-up books to her credit. This lady has a lovely style. 

SERIES/COLLECTION 

Books/Articles: 

Several are: 

• Mystery Pups: Diamond Dogs! 
• Mystery Pups: Missing! 
• The Secret Fairy Christmas

THE BOOK:“Classic Treasury Of Best-Loved Bedtime Stories” [Hardcover] by Penny Dann (Author) 

Bedtime is better with storytime. Dann chose eight traditional stories: “The Princess and the Pea”, “King Midas”, “Stone Soup”, “The Lion and the Mouse”; “The Glass Mountain,” “The Three Sillies,” “The Enchanted Watch,” and “The Little Red Hen.”  These classic fairy tales will enchant toddlers and better. The new illustrations make them even more memorable. It could become your child`s favorite!.    

CONCLUSION

A good bedtime is the best way to prepare your child for tomorrow and help him/her make it a great day!  

Personal Comments

If you guessed that I had some opinions – you would be right. I say:

• Putting children to bed is definitely not an easy task.
• Bedtime is not only about turning off the lights; it`s important to establish a bedtime routine and then stick to it.  
• It’s vital that it be done right – it starts with making the entire house sleep friendly by * Dimming the lights; * Keeping the house quiet – there should be no music on and the volume  on your television should be at low.

It’s also about the need for getting the child ready for bed; to this end, * Change him/her into PJs; * Get him/her into winding down mode – a calming interval is the key to a good night rest for every one; *  Turn off all electronics – bedtime can’t be chaotic; * Put him/her into bed;

• It’s now the time to read your child a bedtime story, etc.; bedtime stories have benefits: * If told in a soothing voice, a story can have a calming effect on a child; *  Stories have an incredible educational value on children; * It’s quality time between parent & child – indeed, story time is bonding time;  * Children look forward to their bedtime stories – they love them.
• Once the story is over, don’t stay in the room until they fall asleep – instead, leave the room;
• A good night’s sleep is important in the life of a child;
• Lack of sleep can make a child cranky, increasing the probability of poor behavior the next day, plus reduced ability to concentrate and learn; etc.;
• Most children fight sleep until their eyes close shut; and
• Good sleeping habits makes for a Happy Child!

The Point 

 Bedtime can be challenging for a good parent. In your child’s best interest, make bedtime a priority. If you do it right, your child will benefit greatly. 

ANTOINETTE’S TIP SHEET* 

Every parent should: 

1. Speak of bedtime as if you’re looking forward to it;
2. Be consistent with bedtime rules, inconsistency will confuse a child;
3. Wind down the child ½ hour before bedtime;
4. Keep the lights dim;
5. Keep the noise down;
6. Put the child into bed;
7. Recognize that story time as part of bedtime is quality time between parent and child; this could be bonding time!
8. Read a bedtime story- make sure that it’s age appropriate;
9. Leave the room after the story … don’t wait till the child is asleep;
10. Make bedtime happy time.

I say: “Lights out …now settle down, it`s time for Mr. Sandman …don’t let the bed bugs bite.” 

And that’s my thought of the week on books, what’s yours?*
Take it out for a spin and tell me if you agree.
ALP
“Books are life; and they make life better!*”
P.S. Big News: There are big changes coming to my blog – Please stay tuned.
P.P.S. #1 I have a TWITTER page. Consider becoming a follower? Visit www.twitter.com –   saveandread
P.P.S. #2 I also have a FACEBOOK page. Consider becoming a friend? Visit: www.facebook.com – Alp Save Andread – please check it out.
P.P.S. #3 I am on Linkedin. Consider becoming a connection? Visit  www.linkedin.com – Antoinette La Posta
*TM/© 2012 Practitioners’ Press Inc. – All Rights Reserved.
=============================================================== 

ANNEX I: NEED SOMETHING FURTHER? TRY AN ANECDOTE OR A QUOTE:

S & R* CHOICE ANECDOTAGE #1: Baby Talk
Samuel Johnson once took pity on a poor woman trudging through the rain with a small baby. He graciously offered her a lift in his coach, on one condition: that she refrain from indulging in baby talk, to which he possessed a distinct aversion.   

The woman agreed, thanked him and sat quietly in a corner with the sleeping baby for some time, until the motion of the coach disturbed it. “The little dearie,” she cooed, “is he going to open his eyesy-pysies then?” Hearing this, Johnson interrupted her. “Stop the coach,” he ordered, bodily turfed the woman and her little dearie onto the road, and left them in the rain. 

(Source: Anecdotage) – http://www.anecdotage.com/index.php?aid=5752 

S & R* CHOICE ANECDOTAGE #2: Young Kobe Bryant
At the age of seven Kobe Bryant’s father gave him his first genuine leather basketball. Kobe loved it so much that he literally took it everywhere; he even slept with it.  

(Source: Anecdotage) – http://www.anecdotage.com/index.php?aid=3376) 

S & R* CHOICE ANECDOTAGE #3:Young Gardener
“When I was a child staying with my grandfather Lord Lamington,” the actress Stella Vitelleschi once recalled, “I was watering the flowers in the garden when I happened to notice his bald head gleaming in the sun as he was sleeping in the garden. A brilliant idea struck me. I climbed quietly on to a chair behind him, with the watering can in my hand. I lifted it up and watered his head.   

“The effect astonished me. He leapt to his feet and shouted furiously for my nurse whilst mopping the water off with his handkerchief. Nanny came running across the lawn. ‘Take this child in,’ he thundered. I was swept up, carried off under her arm like a doll, back to the house. I kicked and screamed. ‘I wanted to make his hari grow like the flowers,’ I cried.” 

(Source: Anecdotage) – http://www.anecdotage.com/index.php?aid=12937) 

S & R* QUOTE #1:  Victoria Wagner  

A young child is, indeed, a true scientist, just one big question mark. What? Why? How? I never cease to marvel at the recurring miracle of growth, to be fascinated by the mystery and wonder of this brave enthusiasm. 

(Source: Wisdom Quotes) – http://www.wisdomquotes.com/topics/children/index2.html) 

 S & R* QUOTE #2:  Anne Sullivan 

It’s a great mistake, I think, to put children off with falsehoods and nonsense, when their growing powers of observation and discrimination excite in them a desire to know about things. 

(Source: Wisdom Quotes) – http://www.wisdomquotes.com/quote/anne-sullivan-2.html) 

S & R* QUOTE #3:  Alice Miller  

Learning is a result of listening, which in turn leads to even better listening and attentiveness to the other person. In other words, to learn from the child, we must have empathy, and empathy grows as we learn. 

(Source: Wisdom Quotes) – http://www.wisdomquotes.com/topics/children/) 

ANNEX II
SCHEDULE I
“IT WORDS FOR ME!*”
“For today, my word/phrase(s) are:  “sleep”; “bedtime story”; “” 

Sleep 

Sleep is a naturally recurring state characterized by reduced or absent consciousness, relatively suspended sensory activity, and inactivity of nearly all voluntary muscles.^[1]  

(Source:  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sleep) 

Bedtime Story 

A bedtime story is a traditional form of storytelling, where a story is told to a child at bedtime to prepare them for sleep. 

(Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia) –  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bedtime_story) 

SCHEDULE II
STUDY/STATISTICS: 

Hours by age 

Children need more sleep per day in order to develop and function properly: up to 18 hours for newborn babies, with a declining rate as a child ages.^[17] A newborn baby spends almost 9 hours a day in REM sleep. By the age of five or so, only slightly over two hours is spent in REM. Studies say that school age children need about 10 to 11 hours of sleep.^[32] 

Age and condition	Average amount of sleep per day
Newborn	up to 18 hours
1–12 months	14–18 hours
1–3 years	12–15 hours
3–5 years	11–13 hours
5–12 years	9–11 hours
Adolescents	9–10 hours[33]
Adults, including elderly	7–8 hours
Pregnant women

The Ferber Method is a technique invented by Dr. Richard Ferber to solve infant sleep problems. It involves “baby-training” children to self-soothe by allowing the child to cry for a predetermined amount of time before receiving external comfort. 

Dr. Richard Ferber discusses and outlines a wide range of practices to teach an infant to sleep. The term ferberization is now popularly used to refer to the following techniques: 

• Take steps to prepare the baby to sleep. This includes night-time rituals and day-time activities.
• At bedtime, leave the child in bed and leave the room.
• Return at progressively increasing intervals to comfort the baby (without picking him or her up). For example, on the first night, some scenarios call for returning first after three minutes, then after five minutes, and thereafter each ten minutes, until the baby is asleep.
• Each subsequent night, return at intervals longer than the night before. For example, the second night may call for returning first after five minutes, then after ten minutes, and thereafter each twelve minutes, until the baby is asleep.

The technique is targeted at infants as young as 4 months of age. A few babies are capable of sleeping through the night at 3 months, with training, and most are capable of sleeping through the night at 6 months. Before 6 months of age, the baby may still need to feed during the night and it is probable that the baby will require a night feeding before three months. 

Ferber made some modifications in the 2006 edition of his book Solve Your Child’s Sleep Problems. He is now more open to co-sleeping and feels different approaches work for different families/children.^[4] 

(Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia) –  

 SCHEDULE III
  

S & R* NEWS ALERT* #1: Top 10 tips for a rejuvenating night’s sleep 

Did you know that maintaining a good night’s sleep can help keep your heart healthy, keep stress levels down, make you more alert, and even help you lose weight? 

Sleep experts offer these 10 tips to ensure a good night’s slumber: 

1. Do establish an evening routine. Aim to go to bed and wake up at the same time. 

2. Do something relaxing before bed. Read, write, listen to calming music or meditate. 

3. Don’t exercise three hours before bed. This will raise your heart rate. Slow stretching is the only exception. 

4. Do ensure your sleep space is dark, quiet and cool. Eyeshades are great bedtime accessories. 

5. Do invest in a good mattress and comfortable pillows. Being comfortable in bed will help you get the best rest possible. A quick and inexpensive solution is the ObusForme four-foot long full-length pillow (www.obusforme.ca), which provides versatile, multiple-purpose support for a good night’s sleep. 

6. Don’t eat or drink too much prior to bed. This includes alcohol. 

7. Don’t smoke. Nicotine has energizing effects that will keep you up at night and make it difficult to get up in the morning. 

8. Do keep bed for shut-eye only. Consider your bedroom a place of retreat. Don’t bring work to bed and clear unnecessary clutter. 

9. Don’t drink coffee at bedtime. Often used to keep people awake, caffeine is a natural stimulant and has been linked to mid-slumber nightmares. 

10. Don’t skimp on sleep. A recent study found individuals who get 7.5 hours of slumber every night live the longest. 

www.newscanada.com  

S & R* NEWS ALERT* #2: Proper pillow selection for a good night’s sleep 

A good night’s sleep can be one of the most important elements for maintaining good health and optimal functioning. 

There is no one best pillow for everyone. Alberta’s chiropractors offer these tips for selecting the pillow that’s right for you: 

Choose a size of pillow suitable for your body size or frame. The pillow should cover the entire back of your neck to avoid putting pressure on your spine. 

Try out the pillow. Most pillows are packaged in a plastic wrapper so you can lay it on a display bed in the store and put your head on it. This is the best way to find out if you are on the right track. 

A hypoallergenic pillow is a must if you suffer from allergies, but it is also a good choice for anyone. 

Buckwheat filled pillows have become increasingly popular. Buckwheat is hypoallergenic, it will mold to the contours of your head and neck providing good support, but it will also change shape when you move. 

If you or your family experience pain and discomfort at night or have difficulty falling asleep, visit your chiropractor. Chiropractors are trained to treat spinal problems that can interfere with a restful night’s sleep. They can also offer nutritional and lifestyle advice that can help improve sleep quality. More information, including where to find a chiropractor near you, can be found at www.albertachiro.com. 

www.newscanada.com 

*TM/© 2012 Practitioners’ Press Inc. – All Rights Reserved

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