Teacher shares 'bedtime chart' for kids organised by age - but parents are divided

A teacher who took to social media to share a comprehensive bedtime chart for children, divided by age group sparked widespread discussion among parents.

The chart was initially posted by an academic at Wilson Elementary School, though it later made waves on social media platforms.

For instance, the chart dictates that a seven year old that needs to rise at 7am should tuck in for the night at 8:15pm, whilst a ten year old kid expected to wake up at 6:30am should be hitting the sack by 8:30pm.

Stacy Karlsen, the woman responsible for first posting the chart, expressed her surprise to Fox6Now at its viral success stating: "To me, it was a shock [that the post was shared so much]. I didn't make it up. I found it coming across my personal page and I thought, 'Wow, this is super helpful'."

Not all parents, however, found Stacy's discovery eye-opening. One mum said it simply "justified" the bedtimes she'd already implemented for her brood, saying: "I have four kids - and I catch a lot of flack for their bedtimes,", adding that she initially set those times based on the amount of sleep they required, the Mirror reports.

"I started out setting their bedtime years ago based on how much sleep they need... Glad to see this chart justify the exact times we have already set."

However, the strict schedule didn't sit well with everyone. One parent likened the stringent timings to military precision, saying: "This isn't the military and if I was to send my kids to bed at 7 at night they would be up at 4 a.m. No thank you. Plus I would never get to spend time with them after school."

Another scoffed: "I'm sorry, but this chart is absurd. Who puts their kid to bed at 6:45? "

Some parents suggested that bedtime routines should adapt to the seasons and take into account whether children have had daytime naps. Great Ormond Street Hospital provides guidance on their website regarding how much sleep children need.

According to their advice, infants aged four to 12 months should get 12 to 16 hours of sleep, naps included, while one to two year olds need 11 to 14 hours, also counting naps.

Kids aged three to five should aim for 10 to 13 hours of sleep, including nap times, and those between six and 12 years old require 9 to 12 hours. Teenagers are advised to get eight to 10 hours of sleep.

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