Getting the full quota of sleep he needs, can affect who your child becomes as an adult. It can have an effect on his career success, personal relationships, and his financial security.

This may sound like a very dramatic and over-the-top statement, but keep reading....

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* Result 1: When a child is consistently getting the full amount of sleep he needs, he feels more energetic.

Effect: He has more energy to take part in, and do well in, sport and other physical activities.

Knock-on Effect: He develops a strong, healthy, active body, as well as higher self-esteem, and a sense of achievement.

Long-term Effect: This can change who he is – physically and emotionally. It can contribute to his health, to his feelings of self-worth and to his self-belief.

 * Result 2: Not having to wake your child for school means he’s getting the full amount of sleep he needs, and he is then able to concentrate better and for longer periods of time.

Effect: Not only will he be able to learn and absorb more while in class, he will feel more alert and be able to participate more. He’ll also be better able to remember what he’s supposed to do and not do. He will find it easier to focus on instructions, and will therefore get better results, and be considered to be showing “good behaviour”.

Knock-on Effect: Getting better results in school, will build that self-esteem, and lead to more confidence and a better self-image.

Long-term Effect: Aside from the academic benefits of doing well at school, the increased self-esteem and sense of achievement will be invaluable to him as an adult – it can affect his career, personal relationships and attitude to finances – just to mention a few.

* Result 3: Consistently getting sufficient sleep will have a profound emotional effect on your child. He will feel happier, more tolerant, be less inclined to feel over-sensitive and irritable, and will benefit from a general, all-over feeling of security and stability – which is undermined when he is lacking in sleep.

Effect: He will get along better with others and be more inclined to do as he’s asked. He will be able to enjoy his life more, and this can nurture a positive attitude and outlook.

Knock-on Effect: Because of his general feeling of happiness and tolerance, others will be more inclined to feel drawn to him and appreciate him. He will receive more positive attention from adults and peers.

Long-term Effect: As we know, our feelings contribute to the quality our lives. The positive feelings resulting from sufficient sleep can change the life your child creates for himself. The boosted self-esteem can change who he becomes as an adult.

Children need different amounts of sleep at different times – depending on whether they’re going through a growth spurt, have a lot of emotional issues to process, or are worried or concerned about anything.

I believe that if you have to wake a child up for school, she is not getting enough sleep. Get her to bed earlier, and if she wakes up early, it doesn’t matter – she can have time to play before getting ready for school, rather than cut short her sleep.

If you need to leave at 8.30am, try setting bedtime at 7.30pm, with a story until 8pm, and then lights out and to sleep. Let’s say your child wakes up at 6.30am most mornings (suggest she plays in her room quietly until 7am), your child then has plenty of time to have breakfast and get ready for school in a relaxed manner. It also means she has an extra hour or so, to sleep when she needs it.

What I’ve mentioned here is only the tip of the iceberg. In enabling your child to get the sleep she needs you will be giving her a priceless gift – a contribution to the best she can be.