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Parental No-No: Bedtime TV for Kids

My preschooler needs 12 hours of sleep per night… or we all pay for it.

That said, it should come as no surprise that her bedtime routine gets underway no later than 6:30 p.m., to ensure that she’s in dreamland by 7:30 p.m. (8:30 p.m. if she’s had an afternoon nap). Dinner, bath, brush teeth, pajamas, bed—-the process has been ingrained in her since she was a baby, with one slight deviation. Up until about 18 months ago she was able to choose between watching “goodnight TV” (e.g. part of an animated movie or some kid’s program) and reading two bedtime stories before lights out.

That option was eliminated when I noticed that she fell asleep much faster when I read to her in bed, rather than when she was allowed to watch television. It didn’t matter how mellow the show’s theme or how many minutes she was allowed to watch, she tossed and turned twice as much before drifting off than when she was read to.

Apparently, I’m not the only parent who has experienced this “phenomenon.” A Harvard University psychiatrist who runs the Campaign for a Commercial-Free Childhood recently issued a public plea to PBS Kids Sprout network to get rid of The Good Night Show, which mixes cartoons and skits with a puppet about getting ready for bed. The good doctor claims that the show does more harm than good at bedtime, especially when parents use it as a babysitter while they get after-dinner chores done.

PBS Kids Sprout execs responded to the Ivy League psych by saying, “In the real world families watch TV before bedtime and the network strives to put on programs that help parents.”

We don’t get Noggin, but my brother’s family does and I know for a fact that his 2-year-old son spends the hour leading up to bedtime watching Diego, Wow! Wow! Wubbzy! and The Wonder Pets. According to my brother, Noggin airs these kids shows until midnight.

Truth be told my daughter and her cousin would probably force themselves to stay awake to watch these shows if given the chance. You can’t depend on kids to let you know when they’re tired. Nor should you leave it up to them to tell you how many hours of sleep they should be getting. Experts use this guide to help parents make sure their children are getting proper rest:

0-1 year: 14-16 hours of sleep

2-4 years: 12-14 hours of sleep

5-9 years: 11-13 hours of sleep

10-14 years: 9-10 hours of sleep

15-18 years: 8-9 hours of sleep

What’s bedtime like in your house?

Related Articles:

Do You Read to Your Children?

Parental No-No: Bedtime TV for Kids

Parents Against Daylight Savings

When Did Your Children Start Taking Showers?

This entry was posted in Parenting Tips/Techniques and tagged , , by Michele Cheplic. Bookmark the permalink.

About Michele Cheplic

Michele Cheplic was born and raised in Hilo, Hawaii, but now lives in Wisconsin. Michele graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Madison with a degree in Journalism. She spent the next ten years as a television anchor and reporter at various stations throughout the country (from the CBS affiliate in Honolulu to the NBC affiliate in Green Bay). She has won numerous honors including an Emmy Award and multiple Edward R. Murrow awards honoring outstanding achievements in broadcast journalism. In addition, she has received awards from the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association for her reports on air travel and the Wisconsin Education Association Council for her stories on education. Michele has since left television to concentrate on being a mom and freelance writer.