4 Signs Your Kindergartener Needs More Sleep

Saturday night I put my Kindergartener to bed at 6:30 P.M. She wasn’t too excited about it, but she slept for over 12 hours thanks to that early bedtime! She’s actually been doing amazingly well with the transition into Kindergarten, but this week she was up 30 minutes later than usual on Thursday, which of course never results in her sleeping 30 minutes later in the morning, she has the sniffles, and she was definitely acting irritable.

Over the last few weeks I’ve been hearing from quite a few parents who say their child is having a hard time with the Kindergarten transition. Some of these kiddos are dealing with anxiety around going to school. Some are super cranky when they get home. Some are suddenly not sleeping well. And others are just behaving poorly.

Even if your child was in full-day preschool prior to starting Kindergarten this fall, Kindergarten is a different beast. In most cases there is no rest/nap time, there is much less outdoor time and free play, and there is much more focused learning. Tack on an afterschool program, and chances are your kiddo is wiped out.

Four Signs Your Kindergartener Needs More Sleep

1. Having to Wake Your Child. If you’re having to wake your child up in the morning to get ready for school, I assure you they are not getting enough sleep. This age group should wake naturally. You’ll want to back into the correct bedtime by continuing to move their bedtime earlier until they wake in the morning on their own.
2. Trouble Falling Asleep. If it’s taking your child a long time to fall asleep at night, it’s possible their sleep wave passed and they’re on their second wind when you’re putting them in bed. When in doubt, go with a 7 P.M. bedtime (lights out, you leaving the room).
3. Anxiety. If your kiddo is struggling with anxiety around going to school, pay super close attention to how many hours of sleep they are getting at night. Five year olds need 10.5 to 12 hours of sleep. Even a minimal amount of sleep debt can fuel anxiety.
4. Grumpiness or Being Wired. If your child is unusually grumpy or acting “wired,” it’s likely they are overtired. Sleep debt can build quickly or slowly overtime if someone isn’t consistently getting enough sleep. Focus on an earlier bedtime until your kiddo is feeling and acting well rested.

Each child is unique in their sleep needs and 10.5 to 12 hours is actually a pretty large band. The best way to know if you’re child is getting enough sleep is by their general demeanor. If you’re dealing with any of the four things mentioned above, consider an earlier bedtime. When in doubt, go with 7 P.M.