![dont sleep on the kid dont sleep on the kid](http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_3x13p8DsVQ0/TKvtIVJ57uI/AAAAAAAAB3U/ICYrQwJXcbY/w1200-h630-p-k-no-nu/GB01.jpg)
Middle school kids, says Mindell, are in the midst of an internal time clock shift that comes with puberty, so they’ll be more prone to stay up later -but still in need of good rest. Parents can lead by example, by keeping their own electronics on the kitchen counter overnight, because “kids do what parents do, not what they say,” as Mindell points out. Electronics, especially the blue light from screens, have been proven to interrupt the brain’s natural sleep chemistry, so “the family rule should be all electronics out of the bedroom,” according to Mindel. Overscheduling, she says, is a major threat to good sleep, and parents should think twice before scheduling young kids into evening activities.
![dont sleep on the kid dont sleep on the kid](https://i.etsystatic.com/10535576/r/il/1baee0/1690552511/il_794xN.1690552511_5eju.jpg)
With elementary age kids, Mindell says, parents need to start early forming good sleep habits. The good news is that the summer break can be a good time for families to reset their sleep, forming healthy patterns that will carry them through the new school year. And, she says, lack of sleep also hurts kids’ cognitive abilities, “everything you need to do well in school: memory, attention, and decision making.” Not only that, but poor sleep is also linked with everything from obesity to pedestrian safety. “There’s no question that there’s a link between not getting enough sleep and symptoms of depression,” Mindell says.