More Sleep For Everyone: Sweeter Dreams In 5 Steps

Parents can lose up to 200 hours of sleep a year if their children have poor sleep habits, according to the National Sleep Foundation. Sleep loss is not only bad for you; it hurts your kids' memory retention and problem-solving skills as well. Here's how to get them to conk out at any age.

Step 1: Create a routine. Toddlers should have a bedtime routine they can count on, says Jodi Mindell, associate director of the sleep-disorders center at the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia. Establishing one leads to healthy sleep habits during childhood and beyond. Dad can use different routines than Mom, as long as they're predictable.

Step 2: Power down. Turn off the television and computer at least 30 minutes before bedtime. Electronic diversions busy the mind, Mindell says. The only exception: soothing music.

Step 3: Slow down. You may think a kid's WWE reenactments will tire him out, but exercise acts more like a double espresso. The best sleep prep: 30 minutes of a quiet activity such as reading, says Sheila C. Ribordy, a clinical psychologist and a professor at DePaul University.

Step 4: Talk. Nighttime is when worries surface—and when children are most likely to share their feelings. Use bedtime to talk about your child's day. Little ones need reassurance that nothing scarier than dust bunnies lives under the bed, Ribordy says.

Step 5: Don't negotiate. "Debating what time children should go to bed teaches kids to be good arguers," Ribordy says. Bedtime is your call, always. When a house rule is broken, the consequence is moving the bedtime up the next night, thereby adding more peace and quiet to everyone's day.