Aimeé
There’s nothing little kids hate more than bedtime. They know all the fun stuff happens after they go to sleep and you know what? They’re right. Unfortunately, we force children to get up at an ungodly hour so they can go to school and move from room to room according to an even stricter schedule than bedtime. If parents want their kids up and ready for school, they gotta go to bed at the right time.
A teacher in Kenosha, WI, is trying to help parents figure out exactly what time is bedtime. Stacy Karlsen teaches at Wilson Elementary, according to Bored Panda. The chart was put on the school’s Facebook page, where it garnered a shocking amount of attention. Karlsen was even interviewed about it on the local news.
It shows a child’s age in the left column, then their wake up time along the top. Following the lines to where the two meet will show you what time your kid should go to bed.
For example, a six-year-old who has to be up by seven a.m. should be in bed by eight p.m. As the child gets older, they can go to bed later. The chart recommends a 9:15 p.m. bedtime for a 12-year-old getting up at seven, for example.
“When I posted it, I figured it would just go out to our hundred parents or so at our school,” Karlsen told BP. “So when it went viral and the local news channel came to interview me I was in shock.”
I suspect that the reason the chart was such a hot topic is because many people find the chart somewhat rigid and absurd, or that bedtimes are common sense and started arguing about it in the comments. But it’s serious to Karlsen.
“Students are sleepy, unfocused, and lacking motivation throughout the school day when they do not get enough sleep,” she said. “These provide a snowball effect, as students often miss out on the very essentials they’ll need to learn as young scholars. Often, behavior issues follow, as well.”
People still seemed to take the advice very personally, saying that this kind of early bedtime is impossible for most kids with after school activities, HOMEWORK, and parents with late schedules. Others thought it was a just a guideline and something to be considerate about.
Karlsen offered some advice for parents struggling with this issue who actually liked her chart.
“I’m a parent/foster parent of small children (6, 2, 1), and would strongly suggest keeping to a routine where children are in bed at a decent time,” she said. “Stick to the routine on breaks and weekends as much as possible. Children are at their very best, healthiest selves when well-rested! Sleep should take precedence as much as possible!”
H/T Bored Panda
