Sleep is when babies grow and bodies rest. As a parent it can be difficult to know how much sleep your child needs. They may seem cranky, but won’t go down for a nap. They may stall their bedtime or stay up very late and still get up at 6 am. The fact is that kids need a certain amount of sleep each day, but that does not mean they are going to get it. It’s important for you to help them get the amount of sleep they need. The best way to accomplish this is to know how much sleep they need. The following is a look at what the American Pediatric Association says about how much sleep kids really need.

Between Birth-Six Months children need 16-20 hours. They are going to sleep off and on all day and night. They do not know the difference and are not old enough for a schedule.

Between Six-Twelve Months children need 14-15 hours. If they are not already doing so, they should begin sleeping through the night in this stage. You should be working on getting them on a schedule. They should take 3 naps a day, and have one long stretch at night. This is when children are learning to fall asleep on their own, so it’s okay to let them cry themselves to sleep.

Between Ages 1-3 children need 10-13 hours. They should be taking a couple naps a day and sleeping through the night. Nap times and bedtimes should be as consistent as possible. They should be falling asleep on their own in their own beds. This is the best time to establish a bedtime routine.

Between Ages 3-10 children need 10-12 hours. They will stop napping around age 5 and will try to stall bedtime during this stage. Do not indulge attempts to stall bedtime. Follow the routine you established early on. It is unlikely your child will develop any new sleep problems in this phase. If you established good habits early they should carry over. Just keep their bedtime consistent.

Between Ages 11-12 children need about 10 hours. They won’t take naps and will procrastinate bedtimes. Because they need a solid 10 hours, you should always have them in bed by 9.

Teens need about 9 hours of sleep per night. They usually have later curfews and will tend to make up for lost sleep by napping or sleeping in if positive sleep habits are not enforced. Try to limit iPod and cell phone use at night in order to help them get the right amount of sleep.

Growth and mood are both closely tied to the amount of sleep a child gets. Know what to expect as far as growing out of naps and how much sleep your child needs. A good rule of thumb is to try to have kids in bed between 7-9 and expect them to wake up between 6-8 the next morning. Do not indulge bad sleep habits and your child will never form them.