Are Your Kids Sleeping with the Enemy?

This past summer, my 15-year-old niece spent about 2 weeks with me. I always look forward to spending time with her. She lives with her mother—my sister—full time. Since her dad has not been around as much as she would like, I, as her uncle, have become a “Double Duty Dad” to her.

In any case, whenever we are together, it’s always a unique opportunity to get a peek into what’s happening in the teen world these days. On this occasion, I decided to ask her about texting, which was an appropriate topic since her cell phone, like most teen’s phones, appeared to be surgically connected to her hand. So, I asked if she ever had a problem with her friends sending her text messages during the school year, late into the night. She quickly told me “absolutely” and that it’s a big problem. Although she knew that she needed to get her rest, she admitted that she is extremely tempted to respond to these nightly messages, lest she miss some important “news.”

My conversation with my niece caused me to consider two things. First, I could not help but think about the countless number of children who are engaged in nocturnal texting while their dads think that they are fast asleep. Second, I could not help but wonder why a dad would allow his child to keep a cell phone in his or her room overnight anyway. Let’s face it, unless a kid is a “first responder” (i.e. an EMT, firefighter or police officer) or President of the United States, there is really no reason—despite what a kid may say—for them to have a cell phone overnight. In fact, the more that they protest, the more reason there is for you make the nighttime bedroom a "no cell phone zone." Indeed, to quote Hamlet: "[They] doth protest too much, methinks.”

Now, you may think that I am being a bit harsh, or that I am a cell phone hating troglodyte who wants to make living with your teen…well, complicated. Nothing could be further from the truth. As a dad who raised two teen boys, I remember well the challenges and the need to pick your battles. But, if your teen is “sleeping with the enemy,” much is at stake. Here’s why.

Recently, bestselling author Po Bronson along with Ashley Merryman wrote a great book called, “Nurture Shock—New Thinking About Children.” It’s an excellent book that I highly recommend. But even if you can’t read the whole book, I strongly suggest that you read the chapter titled, “The Lost Hour,” which discusses the fact that children are getting an hour less sleep than they did thirty years ago. Bronson and Merryman lay out clearly the considerable research that suggests that this lost hour costs our kids IQ points.

Also, a lack of sleep has also been linked to a negative impact on a child’s emotional well-being, ADHD, obesity, and “fall asleep” car accidents. Furthermore, the impact of lost sleep is especially critical for teens because of the change in their circadian clock as they move through puberty.

Let’s face it. As a “tech savvy daddy,” it’s just as important to know how to limit your children’s use of technology as it is to know when and how to encourage them to embrace it. I know this can be difficult because technology tends to change faster than parenting techniques. That’s why I encourage all dads to step into the mix on this issue. Trust me. Your kids will sleep better. And so will you.