This video focuses on children's sleep development, describing normal patterns, individual variation
and how those caring for young children in early education and care services respond
to changing and dynamic sleep needs.
We view this change through the eyes of young children attending early education and care
services and their educators.
Children's development follows a pattern.
However, there is also a wide range of normal.
For example, with physical development across the first year of life, children have key milestones.
They roll over, then sit, stand, then walk, but the range of normal is huge.
Learning to walk, for example, varies from 8 to 18 months--a huge 10 months difference.
It's similar with sleep.
Across the first five years of life, children have multiple sleep-wake cycles, then have
daytime naps with more sleep at night.
And, eventually, all sleep happens at night and naps cease.
The normal amount of sleep and age of cessation of napping varies enormously, however. A range
of individual and family practice influence children's developing sleep patterns.
Depending on the day, if it's really hot, the weather, or if there's being something
busy throughout the centre, if they've had big weekends or a restless night sleep at
home, sometimes we recognize that they might be needing sleep earlier in the day or if
they're not usually a day sleeper, sometimes they are actually needing that sleep.
Parents let us know as well if they would like us to give their child an early sleep
or sleep in general.
If they've had a busy night or a busy weekend, you know, sometimes their behaviour changes.
We recognise that they're getting a bit tired if they've become a little bit emotional or
rubbing their eyes and different cues like that.
I think making them comfortable in their environment, giving them that time, if they might need
a bit of a cuddle before they go down for the sleep.
Some babies need a bit of a pat.
It's just spending that time and really developing that relationship with the child so they
feel comfortable.
For babies, families and educators need to respond to the child's sleep cues as appropriately
timed sleep is critical for growth and learning.
Communication of tiredness is through behaviour and not words.
Normally, when a child starts to become tired, we can see losing their patience, crying,
rubbing their eyes, pulling at their ears, becoming clingy and wanting more of
my attention.
So when I start seeing some of those factors, I also keep a closer eye on the child to make
sure I see more than just once.
So if I see it two or three times, then I go and talk to the child and say, "Look, you're
looking sleepy,"
and then they might start nodding and they might
start to be able to communicate that they're tired
and they want to sleep.
No child is expected to sleep at the same time or get into bed at the same time.
You know we recognise that some children don't sleep or sleep short periods of time or perhaps
the last to go to sleep, but they do need to sleep, and each day that might be different too.
You know you've got to accomodate all those different things to help them settle.
Into the toddler years, we see the need for day sleep decrease.
However, this may vary across context too.
Busy social environments like early education and care may increase the child's need for
sleep, but busier environments may also be those that reduce the child's ability to sleep.
Educators need to deal with individual child needs.
While some services schedule standard sleep time, it may not be the case that all children
can sleep.
There is a need to provide for sleepers and non-sleepers.
By age three, 50% of children are no longer required to sleep and being made to lie down
for sleep may not be appropriate practice.
It may be stressful rather than restful.
Consulting with the child about their sleep needs and providing restful alternatives in
their early childhood education and care service is important, particularly for those in full
day programs.
While children's sleep follows a normal developmental path from multiple sleeps per day to one night
sleep, the rate of transition varies and requires responsive care from educators and parents
to ensure adequate duration and quality of sleep.
Communication between educators and parents is an essential part of responsive provision
and is taken up in video two, where we look at partnerships between parents and educators.