How much sleep does a boy need?
Most 12-year-olds need at least nine hours of sleep a night – preferably more. That means if he gets up at 7am, he should be snuggled down by 10pm, better still 9.30. Though some 12-year-olds are aware when they are tired, many aren’t terribly good judges of their own health – and don’t realise that being irritable, yawning and looking generally washed out are a good sign that they need more sleep. Lack of sleep can also affect performance at school, reaction times, concentration and also make the immune system less efficient – making him more susceptible to colds and other infections. You will have to lay down some rules here – if he won’t stop playing with his computer games, then you’ll have to confiscate them!
