Interesting stuff!
According to a new study by Queensland University of Technology in Australia, there’s one thing kids should be able to do by aged five if they want to adjust well to school life.
Soothe themselves back to sleep.
The study followed around 3,000 kids from birth to seven years and found that one third of children have issues with sleep that contributed to emotional and behavioural issues at school, as well as an increased risk of ADD.
The results were gleaned from parents reporting on their kids’ sleep patterns, complemented by reports from their teachers on how they adjusted to classroom life.
“We now know 70 percent of children are regulating their own sleep by 5 years, but for the remaining third it may be detrimental to them developmentally over time,” said Dr. Kate Williams from QUT’s Faculty of Education, School of Early Childhood. “The overwhelming finding is it's vital to get children's sleep behaviours right by the time they turn 5.”
According to Kate, it’s up to us parents to ensure kids approach sleep in a healthy, independent way – in particular, refraining from bad habits like lying with them over and over or letting them sleep in our beds.
“Sleep problems can be sorted out long before a child reaches school age, provided parents and childcare workers are aware and supported," she added. “Prevention is the key.”
What do you think of the study?
