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A child watering plants as part of practical life activities, fostering responsibility and care for the environment.

Sleepy Time: Getting a Full Night’s Sleep

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Getting enough sleep is essential. This is true for everyone, and especially for children. Numerous studies have discovered the benefits of getting a full night of sleep every evening, as well as the consequences of sleep deprivation. Here are a few ways of getting the proper amount of sleep can help your child:

The Health Benefits of Sleep

Prevents Illnesses:  During the sleep cycle, the body repairs itself and lets the immune system push out toxins that can make us sick. If we are not getting enough sleep, our body is not capable of completing this process. This can put our immune systems at risk. For this reason, people are more likely to get sick when they haven’t been sleeping well or for long enough. A child’s immune system is especially sensitive because it is still developing. Getting plenty of rest is vital to staying healthy.

Fosters Physical Growth:  Sleep is also essential to growth, specifically for children. Growth hormones are secreted the most while the body is at rest. Because people grow the most in their early stages of life, children require more sleep to produce the proper hormone levels.

The Learning Benefits of Sleep

Adequate amounts of sleep for children enhances cognitive performance and improves the following:

· Brain function

· Concentration

· Memory

· Academic performance

· Overall mood

More sleep also leads to:

· Less irritability and crankiness

· Fewer temper tantrums

 

Ultimately, it is understood that sleep is essential for ensuring a child’s health and ability to think actively at school. If you think your child is not receiving proper daily rest, these three tips can help:

Tips to Improve Sleeping Habits

1. Set a Routine – Consistency is key to sleep. It’s important to make sure that your child is going to bed around the same time every night. The body will develop a daily rhythm that signals when bedtime is, so sleep will come more naturally as a result.

2. Unplug – Studies have shown that by turning off electronics two hours before bed, children have a much easier time falling asleep. Light from TV and phone screens sends signals to the brain that stop it from secreting melatonin, the sleep hormone. Limiting exposure to light will help children go to sleep faster.

3. Create a Relaxing Environment – If your child is still having difficulties falling asleep, there are several different techniques you can try.

· Read them a bedtime story

· Have them take a warm bath

· Play some relaxing music or sounds of rainfall

Cranium Academy’s Thoughts on Sleep

At Cranium Academy, we recognize the importance of making sure that your child is healthy and getting enough sleep. For every student to participate fully in our curriculum, we understand they must be inspired to think actively, and require mental rest. We want our students to love every day at school, which is why we encourage all-around healthy habits, such as getting a regular full night’s sleep.

 

Group of children engaged in a collaborative science experiment in a Montessori classroom.

Caring for a sick child

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No matter how much you try to shield you children from sicknesses, they will most likely come down with something eventually. That’s just a fact of life and while you can’t prevent the inevitable, you can prepare yourself for it. Below are some tips to help you care for your little one when they’re feeling under the weather.

Check for a fever.

Use a thermometer to take your child’s temperature. If the fever is high or prolonged, seek medical attention right away. Otherwise, give them ibuprofen or acetaminophen and make sure they rest completely.

Make sure they get plenty of fluids.

This will prevent dehydration, which is especially important if they are suffering from diarrhea or vomiting.

Use a humidifier.

Steam is an effective way to ease congestion, coughing, and sore throat.

Give them a warm bath.

This will soothe your child and ease her aches and pains. Make sure to dry her well afterward to prevent the chills.

Have them rest.

Make sure your child is comfortable and in a quiet environment so they can get as much sleep as possible. This will aid in the recovery process.

Elevate their head.

Keeping their head slightly elevated with pillows will help them breathe more easily.

Give them easily digestible foods.

Some safe options include Saltine crackers, toast, bananas, and applesauce. Chicken noodle soup is good for relieving cold and flu symptoms.

Know the signs of serious illness.

Watch for changes in breathing patterns, severe headache, changes in skin color, unresponsiveness, severe or persistent vomiting, sudden or prolonged dizziness, and pain or pressure in the chest or stomach. These are indicators that your child needs to be seen by a medical professional immediately.

At Cranium Academy, we like to keep our students as healthy as possible. Our devoted staff works hard to create a clean and sanitary environment in each classroom and play area to prevent the spread of sicknesses. We also teach our students the importance of personal hygiene, encouraging each student to wash their hands before eating and after using the restroom.

Group of children engaged in a collaborative science experiment in a Montessori classroom.

Chores for Children

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Getting your kids involved in household chores at an early age has so many benefits. When you give young children chores to complete, they begin to gain a sense of responsibility, self-reliance, and empathy. They learn skills that will carry with them throughout the rest of their lives, including time management, prioritizing tasks, and basic organizational abilities.

If you want your child to start developing these behaviors and abilities, then you should get them participating in household chores as soon as possible. Here are some age-appropriate chores that your child can do to help out around the house:

Toddlers

  • Put their toys away
  • Put their dirty clothes in a basket or hamper
  • Put clean clothes away
  • Feed the pet
  • Throw trash away in the wastebasket
  • Fold simple materials, like pillowcases or washcloths

Kids ages 4 to 5

Any of the above, plus:

  • Make the bed
  • Empty the wastebaskets
  • Bring in the mail or newspaper
  • Clear the table
  • Clean up spills
  • Water the plants
  • Organize items, such as utensils, clothing, or books
  • Hang up towels in the bathroom
  • Prepare their own snacks, like a bowl of cereal

Kids ages 6 to 7

Any of the above, plus:

  • Sweep
  • Fold laundry
  • Put away the clean laundry
  • Set and clear the table
  • Help make and pack lunch
  • Keep their bedroom organized and clean

Kids ages 8 to 9

Any of the above, plus:

  • Vacuum
  • Wash the dishes
  • Put away groceries
  • Help make dinner
  • Prepare snacks
  • Take pet for walks
  • Take the trash out
  • Weed and rake leaves
  • Dust the furniture
  • Clean the bathroom

Ages 10 and older

Any of the above, plus:

  • Mow the yard
  • Do the laundry
  • Mop the floors
  • Make easy meals
  • Clean the kitchen
  • Wash the family car
  • Clean the inside of the fridge
  • Iron clothes
  • Wash windows
  • Help take care of younger siblings
  • Change the bedsheets

Tips to consider:

Communication.

It’s important to remember that the way you talk about chores will directly impact your child’s willingness to participate in them. Children are more likely to respond to “Let’s do our chores” rather than “Do your chores,” because it emphasizes that chores are not just tasks but a way of taking care of other members of the family.

Focus.

By putting the focus of chores on taking care of the family, your children will be more likely to want to share the responsibility of the family. They will be more willing to do the chores because they feel that they are contributing to the family’s overall success.

Timing.

Scheduling a chore time is a good way to maintain consistency every day and to avoid the all too common “I forgot” excuse. Keep in mind that children will not always get it done right the first time and you will need to supervise them during chore-time until they get the hang of things.

Allowance?

Allowances are not necessary for completing chores, however, it is strictly up to you whether or not you think you should give one. Some parents believe that allowances are a good way to teach financial responsibility and are a way to simulate a job-type experience. Other parents believe that participating in chores is just another way of participating in family life and being a part of the family community is not something that should be paid off.

Cranium Values

Teamwork is one of our core values here at Cranium Academy. We believe that when parents and their children work together, both will benefit from the collaboration. Kids will gain a learning experience and life-long skills by doing their chores, while parents might have some of the stresses of housekeeping lifted off of them.