Parents' busy work schedules, after-school activities and homework can all cut into family time on school nights, and can have a big impact on how much a child sleeps. Given the fact that time together for so many households starts at around 6 or 7 o'clock or even later in the evening on a school night, it can be tough to set an early bedtime. And since experts say school-age children roughly need about ten hours of sleep -- which means they need to go to bed around 8 or 9 o'clock -- that doesn't leave much time for anything besides dinner, homework and reading one short book chapter together.

    But it can be particularly important for grade-schoolers to get enough shut-eye. How much a child sleeps can have a big impact on her growth and development. Research has shown that lack of sleep can affect a child's temperament, behavior, alertness, and ability to learn. Children who do not get enough sleep have been shown to perform more poorly on memory and attention tests. And an April 2009 study found that sleep problems in the grade-school years were linked to poor scores on mental tests when the children reached adolescence.

    So what can you do to make sure your child sleeps enough to function at his best? Try these tips to help your child sleep well and build good school-night child sleep habits:

    Smart Child Sleep Habit: Stick to a routine. A bath, pajamas, brushing teeth and a few pages from a book -- whatever your nighttime ritual is, be sure to stick to it consistently so that your child knows what to expect move through every phase efficiently each night.

    Smart Child Sleep Habit: Limit the electronic stimulants. Don't let your child use the computer or watch TV at least an hour before bedtime. These activities can be stimulating, and can interfere with falling and staying asleep.

    Smart Child Sleep Habit: Keep her room comfortable for sleeping. Bedrooms that are quiet, dark and cool are optimal for a good night's rest.

    Smart Child Sleep Habit: Set aside extra time for catching up. If your grade-schooler has younger or older siblings, be sure you give each child individual time （you can switch off with your partner and alternate dad and mom time on each night to save some time）.

    Smart Child Sleep Habit: Curb the sneaky caffeine. You wouldn't let your grade-schooler down a cup of coffee before bed. But caffeine can also lurk in foods and drinks you may not suspect such as chocolate and sodas.

    Smart Child Sleep Habit: Watch your child instead of the clock. How much your child needs to sleep can vary depending on his individual needs. Some kids may do just fine on 8 hours of sleep while others need a solid 10 or more. Look for signs of sleep deprivation such as hyperactivity, crankiness and memory or concentration problems.

    父母忙于工作进度，放学后的课外活动和作业几乎占尽了上课日子的晚上时间，而这些都非常密切的关系到一个孩子能有多少时间来睡眠。事实上，在上课日子的晚上，对很多家庭活动开始于6:00或者7:00或者再晚一些孩子来说，很难保证可以在比较早的时间上床睡觉。专家建议正处于上学年龄阶段的孩子大约要保持10个小时的睡眠时间--即意味着孩子上床的时间要在八九点钟--而这样就无法留出很多的时间用来吃晚餐、写作业以及阅读一本书的一小章。

    然而获得充足的睡眠时间对于正在上学的孩子来说是极为重要的。一个孩子睡眠时间的长短对她的成长和发张有着重大的影响。研究显示如果缺少睡眠可能会影响孩子的性情、行为、反应灵敏性和学习的能力。睡眠不足的孩子在记忆力和注意力测验中表现不佳。2009年4月的一项研究显示，上学阶段孩子的睡眠问题会是孩子进入青春期后，心理测试表现不好的一个原因。

    现在我们能做些什么来保证我们的孩子获得充足有效的睡眠呢？试试下面这些小窍门来帮助孩子有个良好的睡眠，培养一个良好的睡眠习惯。

    聪明孩子睡眠习惯：坚持作息表。洗澡、换睡衣、刷牙、读几页书--无论你的夜间时间是多么像在例行公事，你都要保证始终如一的坚持它，以便让你的孩子知道每晚的每个每个阶段都能充分的利用。

    聪明孩子睡眠习惯：限制电子娱乐活动的刺激。不要让你的孩子在睡觉前至少一个小时玩电脑或者看电视。这些活动将会对他们产生刺激作用，干预他们的快速入眠和沉稳睡眠。

    聪明孩子睡眠习惯：为她创造一个舒适的睡眠环境。卧室保持安静、黑暗和凉爽都是保持良好睡眠的积极因素。

    聪明孩子睡眠习惯：留出时间以备急用。如果你上学的孩子有弟弟妹妹或者哥哥姐姐，那么要保证给每个孩子留出单独的时间（你可以和的伴侣每晚轮流替换爸爸和妈妈时间，可以可以节约时间。）

    聪明孩子睡眠习惯：严格控制咖啡因的摄入。你绝对不可以允许你的孩子在睡觉之前喝咖啡。但是食物和饮料中可能含有咖啡因，因为你可能不会怀疑像巧克力和苏打水之类的东西。

    聪明孩子睡眠习惯：你来观察孩子来替代闹钟叫醒孩子。你孩子需要多长的睡眠时间是由他自身的需要而决定。一些小孩可能只是需要8个小时而有些孩子可能需要10个小时或者更多。观察你的孩子，如果出现像高亢兴奋、偏执和记忆或者注意力集中等问题时症状，则说明你的孩子可能缺少睡眠。