How much should a child sleep in 1 year? All parents reflect on this issue. It acquires special relevance when the time comes to give the baby to a preschool institution. It's no secret that children need a daily routine suitable for their age. And it doesn’t matter how old the child is: six months, a year, five, seven or ten years. Particular attention should be paid to sleep, since its lack negatively affects the emotional state of the child, makes him irritable, capricious, aggressive.
A bit about the importance of daily routines
Children aged 1 year need special attention, as each day is filled with discoveries. It is also important that in less than a year, most of them will go to kindergarten. So, it's time to start work on getting used to a new lifestyle. Having set out to find out how much a child should sleep in 1 year, young parents study information on the Internet, consult with friends and relatives. It is not uncommon for data obtained from different sources to contradict each other. And then the question arises for parents, what should be the daily routine of a one-year-old child?
It is important to understand that any mode of the day is exemplary. When compiling it, one should take into account not only the recommendations of doctors and psychologists, but also the individual characteristics of the baby. However, parents should be careful not to change their usual way of life dramatically, since a child at such a young age cannot adapt quickly. Sudden changes can be a source of stress, so you should make changes gradually.
Basic Rules
Answering the question how much a child should sleep in 1 year, most experts agree that in total this process should take 12-13 hours. At night sleep you need to spend 8-10 hours, at daytime - the rest of the time. When drawing up a daily routine for a child, it is important to adhere not only to these recommendations, but also to a few simple rules.
- First, get up in the morning at the same time. Mom’s desire to lie an extra hour can negatively affect the baby, who will instantly feel the parent’s mood and react accordingly.
- Secondly, the beginning of a new day should be a ritual for the baby. It should be taught in a playful way to wash, dress and do exercises. The process can be accompanied by thematic poems and songs.
- Thirdly, you should clearly adhere to the selected meal time. Do not give slack and allow the baby to chew something constantly throughout the day. In kindergarten, he will not have such an opportunity.
- Fourth, walks should be daily. One in the morning, the second - after an afternoon snack. If the weather does not favor walking, you can go to the balcony and watch how it rains or snows with your child.
- Fifth, nightly sleep should be preceded by certain rituals. You should teach your baby to clean up toys with him, and before going to bed with his whole family, you can read a fairy tale and sing a lullaby. This will allow the baby to calm down and tune in to a future dream.
The regimen of a child's day at 1 year in the morning
Waking up a one-year-old baby is better between 6:30 and 7:00. At the same time, it is worth paying attention to the habits of other children, if they are in the family.
Breakfast should be scheduled between 7:30 a.m. and 8:00 a.m. Before the first meal, the child will have half an hour to wash and do exercises. When choosing food for breakfast, you should give preference to cottage cheese, cereals, scrambled eggs. These dishes will not only saturate the child, but will also give you the necessary energy boost in the morning.
For independent games, the baby should take several hours. At 10: 00-10: 30 it is advisable to organize a second breakfast. An apple, a banana or some other fruit, juice, yogurt - the choice of product depends on the preferences of the baby. This meal should not be neglected, because the digestive system of a one-year-old baby is still imperfect, and therefore long-term fasting will not bring him any benefit.
Between 11:00 and 12:00 it is best to go for a walk. Outdoor games will provide a good appetite during lunch and a good afternoon nap.
Afternoon Schedule
Plan dinner should be at 12:30.
The period from 12:30 to 15:00 is the time of rest. A child's sleep at 1 year should be approximately two and a half to three hours.
Between 15:00 and 15:30 the child must have an afternoon snack. After the next meal comes the time of games.
16: 30–17: 30 - evening walk.
At 18:00, the child should be given dinner. After it comes the time of games. It is preferable to give preference to activities that will calm the baby after an active day, set up for a future dream.
From 20:00, preparation for bed begins: washing, changing clothes, reading bedtime stories.
You should go to bed at 21:00. No need to postpone a night's sleep and try to adjust the mode of the child to the habits of the parents. The daily routine of the child at 1 year suggests that the baby should sleep at least 8 hours at night. Otherwise, he will not be able to sleep and the next day will be capricious and highly excitable.
Organization of daytime sleep
When the baby turns 1 year old, most parents begin to translate it into a single afternoon sleep. Up to this point, many children slept two to three times a day during the day. During this period, parents should be patient and not impose a new daily routine, otherwise whims and tantrums are provided. If it’s hard for a baby to fall asleep alone, then mom can lie down next to her. It is important to understand that the child should not get used to sleeping with his mother, otherwise he may have difficulties in kindergarten. Do not wait for an instant result. It is important to understand that addiction will take more than one day.
Preparing for an evening sleep
Evening is a time of calm games. It is better to postpone outdoor games until morning. It is important that the child is tuned in for the upcoming dream, so it is best to offer the baby activities that do not require high physical activity. It can be drawing, modeling, reading books. An evening warm bath is another way to relax after a long day. If the baby was weaned relatively recently, and it is still difficult for him not to get food at night, you can give him a glass of yogurt or warm milk before going to bed.
To summarize
Only parents can decide how much a child should sleep in 1 year. Not only the recommendations of specialists - psychologists, pediatricians, but also the personality of the child, his habits and character are important. At the same time, it is important to be critical of the advice of friends and relatives from whom you found out how many children sleep.
Stories about how the neighbor boy Vova or the girl Lera lives will certainly be useful, but only as an example. You can not transfer the habits and developmental features of one child to another. What lives the baby, what interests him, how he falls asleep, how he wakes up - only parents own this information. Therefore, they should be the daily routine of a one-year-old child.