Detroit Parents Learn the Importance of Sleep for their Children's Success

DETROIT - April 6, 2018 - PRLog -- Before school's out, local nonprofit, Sweet Dreamzzz™, is making sure parents know the ins and outs of healthy sleep to help their children keep up good bedtime habits in the summer. Last week, the organization brought its Parent Sleep Education Workshop to Gompers Elementary-Middle School in Detroit, an annual affair.

"The Sweet Dreamzzz program is an excellent program," Karen Williams, Gompers counselor, said. "It's helped our children be able to focus on school because they know how important it is to get a goodnight's sleep. I've been listening and coming to the session for years now and it's been paying off. I have the R.E.A.D.Y.™ [bedtime routine] on my bulletin board and I go over it with my children."

Sweet Dreamzzz director of sleep programs, Ann Raftery, spoke to the Gompers parents about how sleep is crucial for a child's growth and development, health and well-being, and success in school. This workshop explores the "Why" in regards to the importance of sleep and gives parents the knowledge to create a healthy bedtime routine for their families. Additionally, every parent is sent home with a R.E.A.D.Y. bedtime routine magnet, bedtime "to-do" charts with stickers and a parent guide with notes.

The Gompers crowd was engaged and ready to bring Sweet Dreamzzz home to their children. They were open in sharing the sleep struggles they go through at home and talking about experiences they've had with their children snoring, waking up throughout the night, wanting to fall asleep with television on and using nightlights and/or fans for comfort and white noise respectively. This open discussion proved to be a great learning experience.

"I learned that sleep is very important and there could be something wrong if your child isn't sleeping at night. It was helpful," parent Tara Williams said. "What made me come today is that my son isn't sleeping well so I wanted to look into that."

Sweet Dreamzzz, Inc.
Founded in 1998, Sweet Dreamzzz, Inc. is a regional nonprofit organization committed to improving children's health, well-being, and academic performance by providing sleep education and bedtime essentials to economically disadvantaged students and their families. Based in Metro Detroit, Sweet Dreamzzz educates children and families about the benefits of healthy sleep and establishing a bedtime routine using innovative programs including its Early Childhood Sleep Education Program, Parent Sleep Education Workshop, and R.E.M. (Rest. Educate. Motivate.) Sleep Program. Since its founding, Sweet Dreamzzz has served more than 55,000 at-risk children and families. For more information, please visit SweetDreamzzz.org.