I want my child to go to sleep when I tell them to

• Show them child-friendly videos about the benefits of sleep at least once a week. KidCash has a collection of them here.
• Being grown means knowing how to keep your body feeling good and happy. Sleep is one of the things that affect this the most.
• Sleeping in your own bed helps teach you how to be strong on your own. Most of us have a lot of people who are within arm's reach, but if we can't be independent, then we can become a drag on others and have more reasons to feel depressed and sad.
• Scientists found a process that cleans your brain of garbage proteins only when you sleep. They believe the buildup can be a cause of Alzheimer's, a disease that can make you forget where you are, who you are, and all the people you love are strangers.
• ‍Sleep deficiency also increases the risk of obesity. For example, one study of teenagers showed that with each hour of sleep lost, the odds of becoming obese went up. Sleep deficiency increases the risk of obesity in other age groups as well.
• Sleep helps maintain a healthy balance of the hormones that make you feel hungry (ghrelin) or full (leptin). When you don't get enough sleep, your level of ghrelin goes up and your level of leptin goes down. This makes you feel hungrier than when you're well-rested.
• Sleep also affects how your body reacts to insulin, the hormone that controls your blood glucose (sugar) level. Sleep deficiency results in a higher than normal blood sugar level, which may increase your risk for diabetes.
• ‍Sleep also supports healthy growth and development. Deep sleep triggers the body to release the hormone that promotes normal growth in children and teens. This hormone also boosts muscle mass and helps repair cells and tissues in children, teens, and adults. Sleep also plays a role in puberty and fertility.
• Your immune system relies on sleep to stay healthy. This system defends your body against foreign or harmful substances. Ongoing sleep deficiency can change the way in which your immune system responds. For example, if you're sleep deficient, you may have trouble fighting common infections.
• ‍Sleep helps your brain work properly. While you're sleeping, your brain is preparing for the next day. It's forming new pathways to help you learn and remember information.
• Studies show that a good night's sleep improves learning. Whether you're learning math, how to play the piano, how to perfect your golf swing, or how to drive a car, sleep helps enhance your learning and problem-solving skills. Sleep also helps you pay attention, make decisions, and be creative.
• Studies also show that sleep deficiency alters activity in some parts of the brain. If you're sleep deficient, you may have trouble making decisions, solving problems, controlling your emotions and behavior, and coping with change. Sleep deficiency also has been linked to depression, suicide, and risk-taking behavior.
• Children and teens who are sleep deficient may have problems getting along with others. They may feel angry and impulsive, have mood swings, feel sad or depressed, or lack motivation. They also may have problems paying attention, and they may get lower grades and feel stressed.

• If they want to stay up, I will give them a chance to prove that they can stay up and be fine the next day. If they don't wake up easily or feel cranky, I will quickly point out the reason why and give them a ticket. I will tell them all of this the night before.
• If they wake up in the middle of the night for no reason and don't want to go back to bed, I will tell them that they can stay up and get a ticket, or go back to bed.
• If they want to sleep in my bed, I will tell them it's okay but will have to pay me, and the reason I'm charging them is because they should really be sleeping in their own bed and learning how to be okay on their own.

• If they go to bed on time I will verbally praise them and give them some bonus dollars at allowance time for a job well done.
• I can set up a goal sheet with an enticing prize if they are really having trouble with sleep. Every night they go to bed without fuss they can build towards that prize.
• I will allow them to personalize their room and bed so that they will be more likely to want to sleep in there. They can get wall decorations, sheets and lights.
• I will create a bed-time routine and have them read a book, brush their teeth, and then say good-night around the same time every day.
• I will turn off electronics by 6PM to allow them to wind down before bed.
• I will try to make sure they get enough exercise and daylight during the day if possible.
• I can give my child tools to overcome their worries. These can include a flashlight, a spray bottle filled with "monster spray," or a large stuffed animal to "protect" him.