For Parents
S
chedules and routines tend to go out the window after a childhood cancer diagnosis. Everyone has to find a new normal in between hospital visits, family separations, and relying on community support. Our kids feel this disruption whether they are in treatment or a sibling. For us, after losing our little Cayden, the whole family went through a whirlwind of emotions and changes that left everyone out of balance. After a while, I felt something was needed to help with falling asleep and staying asleep at night so I created this sleep chart for kids. It can (and was) used as a chore chart as well!
This sleep chart for kids works because it adds an incentive for your child to do the desired task. First, teach how to do what you are asking (deep breathing, imagination, etc). After you are confident they know what to do, but they are not motivated to do it, bring in the chart. In this case, they track how fast they fall asleep. They write down the points they earned. At the end of the week, you decide how to reward them! I used one quarter per point. You can also use dimes, free time minutes or candy. I also used this as a chore chart. It was extremely motivating for my kids! I saw them do a complete turn around immediately after starting this chart. Every day for the month wasn’t perfect and I was happy that they were honest about their points. Overall, we saw dramatic improvement! This was maintained even after the month (and my piggy bank) ran dry.
Try Sleep Chart for Kids!
If you would like a copy of the sleep chart for kids or a chore chart, please fill out the form. I will send a copy to your email. If fear is holding your child back from sleeping, or anything else, try the The Calm Down Kit from My Brave Guide. I used this to go over strategies to relax before sharing the chart. I also referred to them during nights that were tougher. The chart, combined with specific instruction and tips, worked wonders!
