1. One more hour matters.

Studies have shown that when kids get even one more hour of sleep per night, they concentrate and perform better at school.

It may not seem like much to an adult, but to a growing child, sixty extra minutes of snooze time helps make them less irritable and it makes teachers (and you) happier, too.
So, move bedtime back an hour. If this is too tough to do all at once, then start with fifteen minutes, then half an hour, and then one hour.

2. Rework bedtime

Many children have difficulty falling asleep at night—especially at the beginning of a school year. They are so used to being active up until bedtime that they have a hard time winding down. If you implement good sleep hygiene, they will fall asleep much more easily.

Make sure they stop watching television, playing video games, or being visually stimulated one hour before bedtime. If they want a snack, make sure it is at least half hour before bedtime and make it light—no heavy foods. They can listen to soothing music or a book on tape (one that is a bit slow moving) to help them wind down. One that…