Yes, folks…a study has been completed that shows having a set bedtime for children is beneficial for them. (Article here.)

If you are a parent, do you really need a study to tell you this? It’s been my observation among my extended family, that the children who didn’t have bedtimes were monsters due to exhaustion. And their parents were always wondering “why won’t they behave?”

My own kids have always had an early bedtime. They are early risers, regardless of the time they go to bed. So I take advantage of my evenings by tucking them in at a decent hour. Sometimes, my son stays up for a while reading or playing with his toy cars. I don’t have a problem with this. Playing quietly is still resting, in my opinion. Running screaming down the hallways because you’re so tired you actually can’t sleep, doesn’t do anybody in the house any favors.

Sleep deprivation sucks. Take it from someone with chronic insomnia. Add to that a limited ability to verbalize and express your frustrations, well, it’s no wonder you see monster behavior.