Teacher Posts A Chart That Shows The Exact Time Kids Should Go To Bed Depending On Their Age And It Goes Viral
Interview
What time your child should already be counting sheep while in bed is the eternal question that parents face. And everyone, whether they’re a parent or not, seems to have an opinion on the topic.
Now, a chart shared by Wilson Elementary School first grade teacher Stacy Karlsen is going viral and it sparked a discussion about the importance of sleep. We all know just how vital it is (especially for a growing child!), however, parents can’t agree on whether or not the advice on the chart is sound or impractical.
The chart is simple to navigate. Simply look up how old your child is and what time they get up for school in the morning and you’ll know by what time they should already be off to Dreamland. Bored Panda reached out to Ms. Karlsen to learn more about the chart and the importance of being well-rested, so read on for our interview with her.
Teacher Stacy Karlsen shared a helpful chart that shows at what time kids should be going to bed, so they will feel well-rested
Image credits: Wilson Elementary
Sleep is vital for developing children
Image credits: ebpilgrim
Image credits: Vasyl Dolmatov
“Students are sleepy, unfocused, and lacking motivation throughout the school day when they do not get enough sleep”
Wilson Elementary School is in Kenosha, Wisconsin. After the school shared the chart on Facebook, it got more than 463k shares.
Karlsen told Bored Panda that she was “absolutely flabbergasted” that the chart got so much attention both in the US and internationally. “When I posted it, I figured it would just go out to our hundred parents or so at our school. So when it went viral and the local news channel came to interview me I was in shock.”
The teacher reiterated that getting enough sleep is essential and that a lack of it is a big issue. “Students are sleepy, unfocused, and lacking motivation throughout the school day when they do not get enough sleep. 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.”
Karlsen also gave struggling parents some friendly advice about helping their kids go to bed on time. “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, recommending to look at the sleep chart. “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!”
Getting enough sleep and having a proper diet are two very important things
“It’s taken this school by storm—and more so, because barely 200 kids attend here,” Karlsen told Fox 6 Milwaukee.
According to Karlsen, getting enough sleep is one way to help students be more focused and attentive during classes. Another part of the equation is a nutritious, healthy diet.
Meanwhile, school principal Yolanda Jackson-Lewis said that the amount of popularity the chart got was “crazy” and that she had to go back to her office and go to the school’s Facebook page to see for herself.
“We can tell who’s well-rested and ready for their day and those who maybe didn’t get enough sleep the night before,” Jackson-Lewis reiterated the importance of rest.
Karlsen said that she was “shocked” the post got this much attention and also pointed out that she didn’t make the chart up: “I found it coming across my personal page and I thought, ‘Wow, this is super helpful.’”
Getting enough sleep is essential if we want to live a high-quality life. But how much sleep is enough? According to the National Sleep Foundation, this amount changes as we grow older: babies, kids, and teenagers will need more; adults will need less.
Of course, a lot also depends on each individual, so you should be asking yourself if you feel healthy, happy, and productive with the current amount of sleep you’re getting.
The National Sleep Foundation has the following recommendations for how many hours of sleep we need:
Newborn (0-3 months old): 14-17 hours
Infant (4-11 months old): 12-15 hours
Toddler (1-2 years old): 11-14 hours
Preschool (3-5 years old): 10-13 hours
School-age (6-13 years old): 9-11 hours
Teen (14-17 years old): 8-10 hours
Young Adult (18-25 years old): 7-9 hours
Adult (26-64 years old ): 7-9 hours
Older Adult (65 or more years old): 7-8 hours
Some people completely agreed with what the chart was suggesting
However, others had more negative opinions about the sleep chart
The best piece of advice for any parent is to ignore any advice you get and do what is right for you and your children. Every child is different, every family is different. Everyone else is an expert and will give you their theories and advice - listen politely, use it if it works for you, but you know best for your family.
My night owl self is just cackling at this chart lol
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This is complete bollocks, ignoring rich scientific understanding of sleep in children. While fixed bed times are recommended, and these ought also to be kept at weekenks, the actual need for sleep is highly individual and in addition changes based on physical, emotional and mental loads.
And another addition: a teacher, even on elementary level,should have a basic understanding of how to work scientifically. If the only source is "experience", the usefulness is zero. Well, below zero, because the information given likely is wrong
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I'm 12 and I think while this sleep schedule might work for some people, I think it's ridiculous for a almost teenager to go to bed at 8:45. I usually go to bed around ten or ten thirty, and I always feel rested enough. So parents, just know that not everyone's the same, so your kids might not need such an early bedtime
There's a lot of individual variation, though, and lots of differences in chronotype. Children are not robots. I'm not sure I could force myself to go to bed when it's too early to do so - I'm a night owl and I just won't fall asleep if I'm not ready to sleep. My daughter is a morning person, so she goes to sleep early and wakes up early. The important thing is to make sure a child gets enough sleep, meaning they wake up naturally without an alarm clock. School makes that impossible.
Why is this getting so much praise? The rule of thumb for any child is at least 8 hours. Anything else is speculation. My daughter typically falls asleep between 8:30 - 9pm and wakes up at 6:30. She's fine. Some nights you just don't sleep well and others you do. Room environment plays a much larger role than how long you sleep.
I didnt even know this chart was a thing but i have always had good sleeper for kids i love putting them to bed, sleep is important for growing minds and bodies. My 10 yrs old is right on track those are his exact bed times wakes up at 7 am goes to bed at 9 p,m
Attempting to force a certain bedtime literally never works for a child. It's important to have a "wind down" routine, but the specific time is insignificant.
So 12+ hours of sleep?. .. I did that and I got diagnosed with depression and low esteem .. They gave me non sleeping pills and got gounded from taking naps.
You got diagnosed with depression and low self esteem and prescribed pills at the age of 5? Just because you slept 12 hours? I would kick my parents a*s if I were you.
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I bet a good amount of PARENTS would love to follow that schedule for themselves lol
Every child is different. I have 5 and 3 of them sleep no bother at bed time, 7.30 wk days 9 wkend, the other 2 have trouble sleeping, (just like their mum lol) no kids are the same, do what's right for ur kids and for u
This! I was putting my daughter to bed at 6 pm till she was 2 or three. Everyone thought I was crazy. But she did get a good 12-hr sleep and never had any problems falling asleep alone or sleeping through the night. As she got older her bedtime moved to 8, then 9 and now as a teenager she picks her own bedtime which I almost never control.
For those saying, "I can't do this because of XYZ," it's like saying, "I can't keep my child from being malnurished." Would you let your kid starve or get way too little vitamins or protein? Figure it out! That's your job. Stop making excuses. It's as important as proper nutrition. If they have too much homework, prioritize what is most important and tell them they don't have to do the rest. And then complain vehemently to the school.
Yeah if my household follows these schedules my kids will never get to see me.
I agree with the Chart....for ME. I'd love to have those sleep hours. Zzzzzzzzzzzzzz...
This is spot on. Sleep deprivation can lead to poor grades/health/behavior. We have our kids in bed at about 7:30 each night and they are asleep between 8 to 8:15 and wake at 7:15 in the morning. We did sleep training with a professional early on and it paid off very well.
May I ask where you live and how old your kids are ? I cannot imagine 1 second to follow such a schedule, except with a toddler. Typically at 7:30 we haven't even started to cook dinner
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This seems really useful, but someone should fix the mistakes. In virtually all cases when the wake-up time shifts by 15 minutes, the chart shows the corresponding sleep time shifted by 15 minutes. But between 7:00 and 7:30 there are a handful of times where it shifts 0 and then 30 instead. At first I wasn't sure if it was on purpose but the more I look, the more convinced I am that it was a mistake (perhaps propagated by Excel's functions). Minor, but if it's going to go viral you should probably fix it.
My mom made me have a bedtime until I finished high school. I was 18 when I graduated. 20 years later and I still cringe when I think of how strict she was
We had to go to bed at 8 pm every night growing up. By highschool I really resented it. Especially since after we were 'in bed' we pretty much stayed up until 10 or 11 reading.
I reckon you need to get laid mate... Best rubber up though, you wouldn't want to become a "breeder". Lmfao, what a prick.
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There is no such thing as indoctrination. Just bc we teach children acceptance of others that exist in this world you think that's some kind of brainwashing? Being kind and accepting is brainwashing? The only 3 things kids need to thrive are good health feeling safe and being kind everything else falls into place. They are the only things kids need you to do as parents to help them achieve it's that simple
Load More Replies...
The best piece of advice for any parent is to ignore any advice you get and do what is right for you and your children. Every child is different, every family is different. Everyone else is an expert and will give you their theories and advice - listen politely, use it if it works for you, but you know best for your family.
My night owl self is just cackling at this chart lol
Load More Replies... This is complete bollocks, ignoring rich scientific understanding of sleep in children. While fixed bed times are recommended, and these ought also to be kept at weekenks, the actual need for sleep is highly individual and in addition changes based on physical, emotional and mental loads.
And another addition: a teacher, even on elementary level,should have a basic understanding of how to work scientifically. If the only source is "experience", the usefulness is zero. Well, below zero, because the information given likely is wrong
Load More Replies... I'm 12 and I think while this sleep schedule might work for some people, I think it's ridiculous for a almost teenager to go to bed at 8:45. I usually go to bed around ten or ten thirty, and I always feel rested enough. So parents, just know that not everyone's the same, so your kids might not need such an early bedtime
There's a lot of individual variation, though, and lots of differences in chronotype. Children are not robots. I'm not sure I could force myself to go to bed when it's too early to do so - I'm a night owl and I just won't fall asleep if I'm not ready to sleep. My daughter is a morning person, so she goes to sleep early and wakes up early. The important thing is to make sure a child gets enough sleep, meaning they wake up naturally without an alarm clock. School makes that impossible.
Why is this getting so much praise? The rule of thumb for any child is at least 8 hours. Anything else is speculation. My daughter typically falls asleep between 8:30 - 9pm and wakes up at 6:30. She's fine. Some nights you just don't sleep well and others you do. Room environment plays a much larger role than how long you sleep.
I didnt even know this chart was a thing but i have always had good sleeper for kids i love putting them to bed, sleep is important for growing minds and bodies. My 10 yrs old is right on track those are his exact bed times wakes up at 7 am goes to bed at 9 p,m
Attempting to force a certain bedtime literally never works for a child. It's important to have a "wind down" routine, but the specific time is insignificant.
So 12+ hours of sleep?. .. I did that and I got diagnosed with depression and low esteem .. They gave me non sleeping pills and got gounded from taking naps.
You got diagnosed with depression and low self esteem and prescribed pills at the age of 5? Just because you slept 12 hours? I would kick my parents a*s if I were you.
Load More Replies... I bet a good amount of PARENTS would love to follow that schedule for themselves lol
Every child is different. I have 5 and 3 of them sleep no bother at bed time, 7.30 wk days 9 wkend, the other 2 have trouble sleeping, (just like their mum lol) no kids are the same, do what's right for ur kids and for u
This! I was putting my daughter to bed at 6 pm till she was 2 or three. Everyone thought I was crazy. But she did get a good 12-hr sleep and never had any problems falling asleep alone or sleeping through the night. As she got older her bedtime moved to 8, then 9 and now as a teenager she picks her own bedtime which I almost never control.
For those saying, "I can't do this because of XYZ," it's like saying, "I can't keep my child from being malnurished." Would you let your kid starve or get way too little vitamins or protein? Figure it out! That's your job. Stop making excuses. It's as important as proper nutrition. If they have too much homework, prioritize what is most important and tell them they don't have to do the rest. And then complain vehemently to the school.
Yeah if my household follows these schedules my kids will never get to see me.
I agree with the Chart....for ME. I'd love to have those sleep hours. Zzzzzzzzzzzzzz...
This is spot on. Sleep deprivation can lead to poor grades/health/behavior. We have our kids in bed at about 7:30 each night and they are asleep between 8 to 8:15 and wake at 7:15 in the morning. We did sleep training with a professional early on and it paid off very well.
May I ask where you live and how old your kids are ? I cannot imagine 1 second to follow such a schedule, except with a toddler. Typically at 7:30 we haven't even started to cook dinner
Load More Replies... This seems really useful, but someone should fix the mistakes. In virtually all cases when the wake-up time shifts by 15 minutes, the chart shows the corresponding sleep time shifted by 15 minutes. But between 7:00 and 7:30 there are a handful of times where it shifts 0 and then 30 instead. At first I wasn't sure if it was on purpose but the more I look, the more convinced I am that it was a mistake (perhaps propagated by Excel's functions). Minor, but if it's going to go viral you should probably fix it.
My mom made me have a bedtime until I finished high school. I was 18 when I graduated. 20 years later and I still cringe when I think of how strict she was
We had to go to bed at 8 pm every night growing up. By highschool I really resented it. Especially since after we were 'in bed' we pretty much stayed up until 10 or 11 reading.
I reckon you need to get laid mate... Best rubber up though, you wouldn't want to become a "breeder". Lmfao, what a prick.
Load More Replies... There is no such thing as indoctrination. Just bc we teach children acceptance of others that exist in this world you think that's some kind of brainwashing? Being kind and accepting is brainwashing? The only 3 things kids need to thrive are good health feeling safe and being kind everything else falls into place. They are the only things kids need you to do as parents to help them achieve it's that simple
Load More Replies...
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