GOOD NIGHT, SLEEP RIGHT

As kids get older, they expect to stay up later and parents often reward them with later bedtimes. In the Grill household, bedtime is "a constant battle," says mom Kathy, because her sons expect to stay up as late as 11 p.m. When Brandon, 11, is really tired, she insists on a 9:30 p.m. bedtime. "In the morning he’ll apologize and say, "You were right, Mom," she says.

The fact that Brandon can’t figure out how much sleep he really needs doesn’t surprise Morehouse. She says that adults can make a conscious decision to be more tired the next day in exchange for staying up later to attend an event or watch a late show. But kids don’t have the ability to project ahead to how they will feel the next day. So saying to a child, "Don’t you think you’ll be too tired tomorrow?" isn't fair. "They haven’t yet developed the ability to assess the benefits and risks," says Morehouse. "They need some help, some guidance." She says that parents should help them set priorities, including the right number of extracurricular activities, so that they’re not cutting into their children’s sleep. As well, parents should not use going to sleep early as a punishment, or staying up late as a reward for other behaviors, she adds.