Sleep is one of the pillars of a child’s well-being, yet it remains one of the most common daily challenges for families. Many parents recognise the familiar struggle: helping their child settle at night, managing frequent awakenings, or navigating a bedtime that stretches much longer than expected. At the same time, adults often face their own difficulty disconnecting from screens and transitioning to rest — and these habits inevitably influence family routines.

To support our community, La Petite Ecole welcomed Dr Nicola Cann, sleep psychologist, for a workshop dedicated to understanding sleep in children aged 6 to 10. The session aimed to demystify the science of sleep and provide families with practical, research-based tools.

Dr Cann introduced parents to the two key processes that govern children’s sleep:

• Circadian rhythm, which sets the internal clock that tells us when to wake and when to wind down

• Sleep drive, the build-up of pressure for sleep over the course of the day

Understanding these mechanisms helps parents make sense of their child’s natural rhythms, energy fluctuations, and evening behaviours.

A key focus of the workshop was the pivotal role of a consistent bedtime routine. More than a series of tasks, it acts as a strong cue for the brain, signalling that it is time to transition from alertness to rest.

Dr Cann explained that effective routines:

• Reduce cognitive and emotional stimulation

• Create predictability and a sense of security

• Help children drift off more easily and settle better through the night

Importantly, routines must be adapted to each family: there is no universal formula, only principles that can be tailored to different temperaments, schedules, and environments.

Parents today navigate a constant stream of advice, tips, and contradictory information — much of it circulating online. Dr Cann guided families through common misconceptions and highlighted the importance of relying on evidence-based research rather than popular myths.

We are grateful to all the parents who attended, asked questions, and shared their experiences. The workshop offered many “aha” moments and left families with concrete strategies to support their child’s sleep in a realistic and sustainable way.

For families wishing to explore this topic further, Dr Nicola Cann’s website provides a wide range of free resources to deepen understanding and tackle sleep challenges with confidence.

Stay tuned — our next Parent Session will be announced soon.