KIDS and HEALTH
What is ‘delayed sleep?’
Short story; The farmer and the well
One day, a farmer was looking for a water source for his farm, when he bought a well from his neighbor. The neighbor, however, was cunning. The next day, as the farmer came to draw water from his well, the neighbor refused to let him take any water.
When the farmer asked why, the neighbor replied, “I sold you the well, not the water,” and walked away. Distraught, the farmer went to the emperor to ask for justice. He explained what had happened.
The emperor called on Birbal, one of his nine, and wisest, courtiers. Birbal proceeded to question the neighbor, “Why don’t you let the farmer take water from the well? You did sell the well to the farmer?”
The neighbor replied, “Birbal, I did sell the well to the farmer but not the water within it. He has no right to draw water from the well.”
Birbal said, “Look, since you sold the well, you have no right to keep the water in the farmer’s well. Either you pay rent to the farmer, or take it out immediately.” Realizing that his scheme had failed, the neighbor apologized and went home.
Moral
Cheating will not get you anything. If you cheat, you’ll pay soon enough.
KIDS and HEALTH
What is ‘delayed sleep?’
This happens when a child goes to bed later than they should. Your child may:
· Complain that they can’t fall asleep
· Be unable to wake up by themselves in the morning and often be tired in the morning.
Your child falls asleep late and wakes up late. They often need to be woken up by someone else. During school holidays or on weekends your child will:
· Go to bed late and generally sleep well overnight.
· Wake up by themselves but often late in the morning and have enough sleep overall.
Find out how to manage delayed sleep.
What is ‘sleep association?’
Some children are unable to go to sleep at the start of the night or fall back to sleep overnight without a special thing or activity. This is called sleep onset association disorder and can stop children getting to sleep too. Key features are:
your child needs something (such as music or a certain toy) or someone (for example, mum or dad) to get to sleep at the start of the night and/or fall back to sleep overnight and
if that something or someone is not there, they will not be able to get to sleep at the start of the night or fall back to sleep overnight
Find out how to manage sleep association.
What is ‘bedtime resistance’?
This happens when a child stalls or refuses to go to bed at the right time. Your child will:
· Have difficulty getting to sleep
· Get in and out of bed or call out a lot and once asleep, sleep well and wake up often later in the morning
Does anxiety cause sleep problems?
We do not really know how common anxiety is as a cause of sleep problems in school children, but it is probably common. Children with anxiety may:
· Lie in bed worrying about things.
· Tend to stay in their bed rather than getting in and out of bed all the time and
tend to be a ‘worrier’ in general about life
What sleep problems does insomnia cause?
Children with insomnia have difficulties falling asleep, staying asleep and/or waking up early in the morning. Children with insomnia may:
· Worry during the day about being unable to fall asleep or stay asleep
· Seem to try hard to fall asleep at bedtime but seem to fall asleep easily at other times (for example, when watching television)
· Seem tense at bedtime and be tired during the day.
What are ‘restless legs?’
Children with restless legs have an uncomfortable feeling in their legs when trying to fall asleep or during the night. Children with restless legs may:
describe the uncomfortable feeling as a ‘creepy/crawly’ or ‘pulling’ feeling, or as ‘growing pains’
move around a lot in bed to try to stop the uncomfortable feeling
walk or pace around at bedtime
be unable to sit still for a long time and
be tired or cranky the next day due to lack of sleep
RIDDLES
Through me you see through things. What am I?
What’s the word inside the riddle?
What kind of can never needs a can-opener?
Who is next to a king on his throne?
Which is the largest room in the world?
ANSWERS:
1.An X-ray machine. 2. The iddl. 3. A pelican! 4. His Queen. 5. The room for improvement.
DID YOU KNOW?
1. Tomatoes and avocados are actually fruits, not vegetables
2. As well as having unique finger prints, we all have unique tongue prints
3. There are more stars in space than there are grains of sand on a beach
4. Horses and cows sleep standing up
5. It would take only one hour to drive to space
6. Slugs have four noses
QUIZ
1. What is something you hit with a hammer?
2. What’s the name of a place you go to see lots of animals?
3.Whose nose grew longer every time he lied?
4. What is the name of the fairy in Peter Pan?
5. If you freeze water, what do you get?
ANSWERS:
1. A nail 2. The zoo 3. Pinocchio 4. Tinkerbell 5. Ice
