Grade-schoolers: The age of reason

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As children outgrow naps, cribs, and lullabies, they gain an important skill: reasoning. "Parents have less direct control over making older children sleep, so it becomes about making them a partner and teaching them about the importance of getting a good night's rest," says Pantley. 

Children ages 5 to 12 still need between ten and 11 hours of sleep a night. Pantley suggests appealing to their logical side. At this age children are old enough to understand that hormones that help them grow are released during sleep, so they need to sleep to reach their full height, she says. Use a similar logic for good grades or sports: If they sleep well their brains will be better able to remember what they learned at school that day, and their bodies will perform better on the baseball field.

Stamp out night-owl behavior

Staying up too late is a common pitfall for grade-schoolers. Parents often contribute to the problem because they want to spend more time with their kids at the end of the day. Do the math backward. "If your child needs 11 hours a night and he tends to wake up at 7 a.m., then he needs to be asleep by 8 p.m.," says West.

Sleep-inducing snacks

Put your child in the mood for sleep by giving him a healthy, sleep-instigating treat an hour before bedtime. Some foods naturally spark a release of serotonin, the body's built-in sleep inducer: Try a glass of milk, a piece of whole-wheat toast with a slice of cheese, half a peanut butter sandwich, or oatmeal with bananas.

During the day, cut out foods containing caffeine six hours before bedtime. According to the National Sleep Foundation, nearly 75 percent of school-age children guzzle caffeinated beverages, such as colas. And since most of these drinks are empty calories, consider eliminating them from your child's diet altogether.

Discourage homework before bed

Kids who do homework before bed often stay up too late and are groggy the next day. Scientific studies link irregular sleep patterns to academic and behavioral problems. School-age children are desperate for sleep, says LoFrumento. "I've had lots of parents tell me their child's school performance improved dramatically with better sleep habits."

Instead of letting your child leave homework until the last minute, schedule a regular work time either right before dinner or right after, suggests LoFrumento. "Leave your child plenty of time to play sports, run around, or just relax after a long day at school but make sure to wrap up homework by 7:30 or 8 p.m." If your child consistently has trouble with a heavy homework load, talk to her teacher.

Be choosy about your child's mattress

Most adults spend hours picking the perfect mattress for their own bed, but accept whatever mattress comes with their child's bed, says Pantley. Her suggestion? Lie on your child's bed for 30 minutes. Ask yourself: Is it comfortable? How's the pillow? Is the blanket soft and cozy? Make it a place you'd want to sleep.

Rule out medical problems

Like adults, children can have medical conditions that interfere with their sleep. Up to 12 percent of kids snore, and as many as 10 percent have sleep apnea, a sleep disorder in which the airway becomes partially blocked and reduces airflow, which rouses the child from a deep sleep. Although many children will outgrow the problem, ask your pediatrician for help if your child snores heavily or is excessively sleepy during the day.