CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Summer is already over for many kids in the Charlotte area while others will return to school in a week.
Summertime is not only a great time for kids to sleep in, but also their parents if they're able to.
With a new school year upon is, many parents are wondering if it's best to start kidding their kids back into routine with early morning schedules so they're adjusted before the first day of class.
THE QUESTION
Is it better to get your kids used to the school wake-up schedule before school starts?
OUR SOURCES
THE ANSWER
Yes, it is better to get your kids back into the school wake-up schedule before school starts.
WHAT WE FOUND:
Soon those alarm clocks will be ringing for school children, and Chen said the sooner you turn them back earlier, the easier the transition.
"It's important to start that transition early so there's not a big jump for whenever you get back to going to school," Chen said. "And there's not going to be that whiplash where you're tired."
Whyte agrees and suggests kids go to bed 15 minutes earlier every day or every other day to adjust.
"That wake-up time shifting that 15 minutes as well every couple of days, that includes on the weekend as well," Whyte said.
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The American Academy of Sleep Medicine said preschoolers require 10 to 13 hours of sleep, kids ages 6 to 12 require 9 to 12 hours of sleep, and teens require 8 to 10 hours of sleep. Whyte said if you don't gradually adjust the kids' wake-up schedule, that first school day will be a shock to their system.
"It's going to create challenges later," Whyte explained. "Kids aren't going to be able to wake up on time. They are going to be rushed. They may have trouble concentrating in class."
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