A measured rhythm of life is simply necessary for children for good health, well-being and proper development. This applies to both kids and those who are older.
First year of life
From the first days for the baby, a period begins when important skills are laid. It used to be thought that feeding a baby should be done on an hourly basis. Currently, pediatricians advocate a free diet. As well as the change of sleep and wakefulness. However, the number of feedings and the amount of milk received during the day should correspond to the age norm.
Up to three months, a healthy baby is usually fed 6 times a day every 3 hours, and at night it is advisable to take a six-hour break. If the baby still cannot stand it for so long, attach the baby to the breast early. After four months - 5 times every 4 hours with a night break for 8 hours. Don't be discouraged if your baby doesn't immediately switch to the new regimen. Patience, and everything will work out.
As for sleep, until the end of the ninth month, babies sleep three times during the day, and already on the tenth they switch to sleep twice a day. There is no need to specifically go for a walk if the baby tends to sleep, and you should not rock him when he is active. Focus on the child: his behavior will tell you which dream to cancel. Just remember that this should be in the first, not in the afternoon, otherwise the baby will not sleep well in the evening.
From year to school
In the second year of life, set five meals a day for the child. This means breakfast, lunch, lunch, afternoon tea and dinner. Ideally, all meals should occur at fixed times. Such nutrition is the prevention of diseases of the gastrointestinal tract.
You should not allow a one and a half year old baby to sleep longer than an hour and a half 2 times a day during the day (meaning daytime sleep). Otherwise, the child may become lethargic and whiny.
From the age of two, feel free to put your child to sleep once a day.
The age of up to three years is a very important stage in the life of a baby, when his biological rhythms are formed. Biorhythms, in fact, are programs of vital activity and development of organs, systems and the body as a whole. It is important to strike a balance so as not to knock out your biological clock. On the one hand, a child should not be imposed on an unusual mode of life. Chaos is also unacceptable when a child eats, falls asleep and wakes up always at different times, or even manages to confuse day with night, as is the case with free feeding.
By about five years of age, there may be problems with daytime sleep, because the baby wants to be "like an adult" and does not want to sleep during the day. This is easier to deal with if the child goes to kindergarten. But at home, your own example will help to cope with the problem. Otherwise, having lost daytime sleep, the baby will quickly get tired. In addition, mental and physical developmental delays are not excluded. In a word, disturbance of daytime sleep at this age is a direct path to disturbance of the child's biorhythms.
School years
Now the daily routine will directly depend on the class schedule. Most likely, the child will want to sleep in the afternoon after school for the first year. Do not discourage this desire.
The basic rule is that a student should not spend the whole day reading textbooks. Please note that there is time for walks, games and hobbies of the child in the daily routine. Resting after school allows the body to relieve the stress associated with intense mental work.
Attention should be paid to the duration of the night sleep of a schoolchild. Lack of sleep negatively affects the nervous system and leads to decreased performance. Pediatricians recommend that children of eight to nine years old sleep 11 hours, ten to eleven years old - 10 hours, twelve to fifteen years old - 9 hours, older students - 8, 5-9.
The nutrition of the student also requires special attention. The number of meals should be 5-6 times. The interval between meals, according to physiologists, should not exceed 4-4, 5 hours. Of course, the diet must be balanced.
- Don't wake him up at the last moment before going to school.
- Do not give dry food, sandwiches for breakfast.
- Don't ask him to do his homework right after school.
- Do not deprive your child of outdoor games, visiting circles and sections just because he does not study well.
