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familiar with the questions posed above, consider that perhaps your child's mind and body may simply be too gorged on its "fight or flight" response, just prior to bedtime. This makes it very difficult for them to be able to rest so that their body can initiate the beginnings of the sleep cycle.

What can a parent do about this? If your child usually does not play on the computer before bedtime, simply do not offer it as a possibility. This includes other types of electronic games too, such as PSPs, Gameboys, or any other hand held type of games. What if your child is already very used to doing this? Most children will not want to cut off their late evening "habit", or one might even say, "addiction" of computer play just prior to bed.

The best thing to do, if you find it necessary, is to actually treat it as breaking an addiction. Be gentle but firm. Stay consistent about it and build a new habit that does not allow for computer play prior to bed. The best thing to do is to cut off computer play as far before bedtime as is possible, and reasonable. This gives your child time before bed to calm down from the day's activities, perhaps by lying in bed and reading a book. Or just lie there in low light with them and talk. If they can read themselves, it is a very good time for them to practice not only reading, but reading aloud to someone.

Have them choose a book they would enjoy. Of course, have them do this ahead of time. Bedtime is really not the time for them to be spending time finding it hard to decide on a book. Help them pick a book during the day, after school or after dinner time. Help them pick a book that they will find fun to read and they will have something to look forward to at bedtime. Choose something outside of what they have to read every day from school though. Do not make it one of their school books, unless they really enjoy it. Some children do. Perhaps share the reading at first, just to get them used to it.

It may be a struggle in the beginning, but over time, they will get used to the change. If necessary cut off all computer play for a while, even for a few days or a week. Then when you let them back on to it, they will not have so much fight left about it and they will not want to chance losing it again. No computer play before bed will suddenly not seem so bad to them.

If you spend the time just prior to "lights out" with them, they will (eventually) appreciate this special end of day quiet time ritual. They will even quite possibly begin to see it as the one time of the day that they can get some quality time in with you. Have your spouse switch off with you every other night if possible, giving you both a chance for this special time with them, as well as giving you both a break. If you have several children, you can rotate around or include them together.

It is after all, up to us as parents to regulate our children's diet in order to keep them from being overly weighted down in their young lives. Whether that is from eating empty calories or too many carbohydrates, or from simply playing with sleep depriving electronics. A healthy child, one that is not weighted down with obesity, tiredness, irritation or frustration will simply have a more cheerful attitude. They will also be a far happier child and one who will make life more pleasant for themselves and others. You will be very glad that you took the time and effort it will take to moderate their lives. And in the end, they will be glad you did, too.

Learn more about this author, JZ Murdock.
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