Parental Observations: Why children need more sleep than adults?
I've been pondering this question a lot lately, especially when at times they refuse to sleep and other times they refuse to get up. Several answers come to mind, of which I'll highlight a few below.
1. Nature's way of allowing adults to get other things done - can you image if adults and kids had to sleep the exact same number of hours? If that were true, we would never get any work done, TV watched, Wii played and more children made. It's only when the children sleep do adults get their most productive hours clocked.
2. Allow us to prepare surprise gifts and play Santa Claus - I used to believe in the white bearded man when I was young and was devastated to find out that it was my sneaky parents tiptoeing around in the darkness stuffing toys and sweets into my socks - they didn't even bother to buy that big fake stockings but actually used my daily socks which eventually went out of shape, losing their elasticity and dropping to my ankles. When the kids get big enough (around 3 years plus), it surprising what they can sleep through. You can turn on the lights, open cupboards, shift furniture (including their beds) and play loud Rick Astley music and they won't even stir. Be careful not to play anything that sounds like water flowing though.
3. Of course, the real reason kids sleep longer is that their little bodies and minds are still growing, developing and forming. One day they are these little bundles of toddle-energy tripping around and the next they are running around and slamming headfirst into your chest (and groin area). One day they are busy pointing out the birds and the bees and next they will be asking you about them (hasn't happened to us yet). I have yet to see a wide-awake child growing, so I'm quite sure it only happens when they sleep. It's easier to fight gravity when you're lying down.
So let them sleep, it's ok. No rush in getting them to wake up. They need the rest, you need the rest. And when they wake up, you sometimes wish they were back asleep again. :)
1. Nature's way of allowing adults to get other things done - can you image if adults and kids had to sleep the exact same number of hours? If that were true, we would never get any work done, TV watched, Wii played and more children made. It's only when the children sleep do adults get their most productive hours clocked.
2. Allow us to prepare surprise gifts and play Santa Claus - I used to believe in the white bearded man when I was young and was devastated to find out that it was my sneaky parents tiptoeing around in the darkness stuffing toys and sweets into my socks - they didn't even bother to buy that big fake stockings but actually used my daily socks which eventually went out of shape, losing their elasticity and dropping to my ankles. When the kids get big enough (around 3 years plus), it surprising what they can sleep through. You can turn on the lights, open cupboards, shift furniture (including their beds) and play loud Rick Astley music and they won't even stir. Be careful not to play anything that sounds like water flowing though.
3. Of course, the real reason kids sleep longer is that their little bodies and minds are still growing, developing and forming. One day they are these little bundles of toddle-energy tripping around and the next they are running around and slamming headfirst into your chest (and groin area). One day they are busy pointing out the birds and the bees and next they will be asking you about them (hasn't happened to us yet). I have yet to see a wide-awake child growing, so I'm quite sure it only happens when they sleep. It's easier to fight gravity when you're lying down.
So let them sleep, it's ok. No rush in getting them to wake up. They need the rest, you need the rest. And when they wake up, you sometimes wish they were back asleep again. :)