1 in 4 parents find it difficult to get kids to sleep at night due to bedtime anxiety.
According to CNN, a new C.S. Mott Children's Hospital National Poll on children's health conducted with 781 parents indicated that getting children to bed is a common challenge faced by parents.
Polls showed that 1 in 4 parents reported their child has trouble getting sleep because they are anxious and worried, while one-third of the parents said that their child often wakes up upset or crying at night.
Sarah Clark, Mott poll co-director and a research scientist in paediatrics at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor said, “From 1 year of age to 6 years of age, kids change a lot. The different phases that they go to are often pretty predictable: They’re scared of the dark, or as kids develop and their imagination develops … now they’re scared of monsters.”
She added, “It can be all sorts of things, and so often with kids, and I would argue adults too, some of those anxieties seem to come out at night.”
To overcome these issues, Sarah suggested, “Establishing a consistent bedtime routine is crucial… Parents should find a balance between offering reassurance and comfort while maintaining some boundaries that help ensure everyone, both kids and adults, gets adequate sleep.”
