Question
A 6-year-old child sleeps only 9 hours a day, sometimes even less than 9.5 hours. What should parents do in this situation?
Answer
Parents should ensure the child maintains a quiet environment half an hour to an hour before bedtime, avoiding stimulating TV programs or listening to horror stories. Additionally, it’s important to cultivate the habit of the child going to bed and waking up at a regular time. When the child is falling asleep, it’s crucial to provide a suitable light and quiet environment, and encourage the habit of the child lying down and falling asleep quickly. At the same time, avoid behaviors such as covering the head with a blanket, suckling on a pacifier, biting the corners of a pillow, or sucking fingers, and teach the child how to control the dark environment to help them fall asleep peacefully.