Harvard Medical School – Claire McCarthy, MD
“Summer is winding down; it’s time to think about school again. As you pick out new clothes and backpacks, here are four back-to-school preparations that can make a real difference in your child’s health and academic success this school year. 1.Get your child on a good sleep schedule — with good sleep habits. During the summer, we often let our children stay up late, which is fine if they can sleep late in the morning — but it’s not so fine when school starts. To avoid rude awakenings (so to speak), get your child started on his school sleep schedule at least a week before school starts. Children should get 8-10 hours of sleep every night, so count back from when they need to wake up to find the right bedtime. Switching to an earlier bedtime isn’t easy. You will likely need to wake your child earlier and adjust your family evening schedules to accommodate the change.”(more)