Just like grown-ups, kids can easily get
caught up in the things that go wrong or in
their worries about that upcoming math test
or swim meet. To ward off these negative
thoughts, have your child take a few minutes
each evening to tell you three things they are
grateful for and three things that made them
proud of themselves.

“It’s best to do it at the end of the day
because it gives kids an opportunity to reflect
on the day in a positive way, which will help
them sleep better,” says Rachel Noble, a
licensed professional counselor with the
INOVA Health System. “And it’s important
for parents to take part in it as well.”
Noble also suggests hanging a clothespin
line down a long hallway or across a wall.

Each day when the kids get home from
school—or log out of Zoom—have them
hang up one thing they’re proud of, such as
artwork, an award they received or a piece of
writing. You’ll be surprised that the things
14 Washington FAMILY DECEMBER 2020
they choose won’t always be the same ones
you would have chosen.

Get a better night’s sleep
Sufficient sleep can greatly improve
cognitive performance, alertness and
attention, learning, memory and mood. But
according to the Centers for Disease Control
and Prevention (CDC), more than one-third
of adults, 60% of middle schoolers and 70%
of high-school students don’t get enough
sleep at night.

The National Sleep Foundation
recommends seven to nine hours of sleep
per night for adults, eight to 10 hours per
night for teens and nine to 11 hours per night
for school-age children. Babies and younger
children need even more than that.

To ensure your family gets adequate
sleep, create calming bedtime routines, have
everyone disconnect from electronic devices
at least 30 minutes before bedtime, keep
bedrooms free from screens and try to make
HUGGING: NIKOLA ILIC / E+; SLEEPING: CHOREOGRAPH; JENGA: KATARZYNABIALASIEWICZ / ISTOCK / GETTY IMAGES PLUS
Focus on gratitude