EUROPE 1 ACCOMPANES YOU
For almost two months of vacation, they went to sleep later, enjoyed summer evenings and fat mornings, and now they must recalent. Nothing very obvious for children, as for their parents for that matter. Interviewed Thursday at the microphone of Mélanie Gomez, in Without appointment on Europe 1, Melaine Descamps, psychologist of the National Education, gives some advice to gently put the clocks on time for the whole family.
Should you prepare your child for school by accustoming him to go to bed earlier on the last days of vacation?
To remember well, to be in a good mood at school and generally to be in good health, a child must have his sleep account. But if he had got used to going to bed at 23h, it could be difficult to make him go to bed at 20h the days before the recovery. The first thing to do is to discuss it with your child. And instead of forcing him to go to bed early, it's best to start getting up sooner. It is not a matter of sounding the bugle but of waking up a positive way with a good breakfast for example, and to advance the awakening gradually day after day.
How long does it take for a child to recalibrate after the holidays?
In general, it takes a few days. It's a bit like coming back from a trip abroad, you have to go back to another time zone. But not all children are equal when it comes to sleep. Above all, we all have different sleep rhythms. The body sends signals - yawning, itchy eyes - and you have to spot them so you do not have trouble falling asleep. It is also necessary to teach the child to spot those moments. The best is to observe when these signals appear. As soon as we know what time the 'train of sleep' passes, we can anticipate. The next day we will have already put the child to bed and told a story when the train passes. If you miss this train, you usually have to wait 1:30 to 2 hours before he goes back.
Should we worry if his child does not sleep the day before the return?
No, the day before the return is always more complicated to fall asleep because there is excitement, small anxieties. But it does not matter, he will sleep better the next day. And if the problems of sleep persist at the beginning of the year, do not hesitate to discuss it with your child and establish protocols, rituals to define how the child goes to bed, so that moment becomes something positive thing.
Is it normal for a teenager to have even more trouble falling asleep?
Yes because in adolescence a hormonal shift occurs. The teen will naturally want to go to bed much later. This is also why in some countries students do not start high school before 9am. To encourage teens to go to bed early, it is important as parents to show that they are concerned about their sleep, to talk to them rather than take them face to face by forcing them to do things they do not understand. not.
Should we limit the use of screens?
It is a use that must be controlled. It is important to define a framework. It can be set schedules, prohibit screens for the youngest during the week and allow a few hours on weekends for example. But in general, it is recommended to avoid the screens before 3 years to avoid that they develop disorders of the attention.