PK through fifth grade
A good night’s sleep helps your child learn better, while healthy eating sets the stage for lifelong well-being. Get sleep and nutrition right, and many other aspects of life will be easier and more rewarding for you and your child, now and later.
“Don’t expect children to like unfamiliar foods immediately; research shows it takes children many exposures to develop a liking for particular foods.”
Key Strategies
- Eat Right
- Don’t keep many sugary snacks or drinks in the house
- Do provide lots of fruits and vegetables — with dips as needed
- Try to feed your child what you eat, especially when you’re eating together
- If eating the same meal together as a family doesn’t always work for you, consider offering a standard backup meal — a healthy alternative for your child when they really don’t like what you’re serving.
- Sleep Tight
- Pay attention to your child’s behavior (rather than hours in bed) to determine their sleep needs
- Create space in the schedule to give your child the sleep they need
- Develop rituals that prepare your child for sleep — and stick with them
Additional Resources
Book: The Family Firm, Emily Oster,
Book: Solve Your Child’s Sleep Problems, Richard Ferber, M.D.
Sleep Tight, Eat Right