Regular Bedtime and Mealtime
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Headline

Young children from low income families are much less likely than those from high income families to have a regular bedtime and a regular mealtime. In 2000, 47 percent of those with annual family incomes at or below $17,500 had both the same bedtime and the same mealtime every day, compared with 70 percent for those with family incomes exceeding $60,000. (See Figure 4)

Importance

Regular routines, such as consistent bedtimes and mealtimes, can provide a sense of security, comfort, and control to children and can help them develop self-confidence.¹ Routines can decrease behavioral conflicts by allowing young children to anticipate what will happen next and can help ease transitions between different activities and different caretakers. Routine interactions are an opportunity for parents to teach children social behaviors such as sharing and waiting and for children to develop communication skills and self-control.²

Trends

In 2000, 73 percent of children ages 4 months to 35 months had the same bedtime every day and 75 percent had the same mealtime every day. Fifty-eight percent of children at this age had both the same bedtime and mealtime every day. (See Figure 1) No trend data are available.

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Differences by Race and Ethnicity

Among the racial and ethnic groups reporting, non-Hispanic white children are the most likely to have both a regular mealtime and a regular bedtime. In 2000, 63 percent of non-Hispanic white children had both a regular bedtime and a regular mealtime, compared with 53 percent of Hispanic children and 47 percent of non-Hispanic black children. (See Figure 2)

Differences by Mother's Education

Children of mothers with less than a high school education are less likely than children of mothers with a high school diploma and mothers with more than a high school diploma to have a regular bedtime and regular mealtime (42 percent versus 59 percent and 65 percent, respectively, in 2000). (See Figure 3)

Differences by Mother's Marital Status

Children of mothers who are never married are less likely than children of married mothers to have a regular bedtime and mealtime. Forty-five percent children with mothers who have never married had the same bedtime and mealtime everyday, compared with 62 percent of children with mothers who are married. (See Table 1)

Differences by Family Income

Children living in families with low incomes are less likely than children living in families with higher incomes to have the same bedtime and mealtime every day. Forty-seven percent of children in families with annual incomes up to $17,500 had both a regular bedtime and a regular mealtime, compared with 56 percent of children in families with incomes from $17,501 to $35,000, 64 percent of children in families with incomes from $35,001 to $60,000, and 70 percent of children living in families with income more than $60,000. (See Figure 4)

Related Indicators

Early School Readiness

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State and Local Estimates

None available

International Estimates

None available

National Goals

None available

What Works: Programs that May Influence this Indicator

None available at this time.

Research References

¹K.T. Young K. Davis, and C. Schoen, The Commonwealth Fund Survey of Parents with Young Children (The Commonwealth Fund, August 1996). Available at http://www.cmwf.org/usr_doc/172_parents_survey.pdf.
²Zero to Three, Routines and Rituals. Available at http://www.zerotothree.org/ztt_parents.html.
³M.J. Coiro, N.Zill, and B. Bloom, "Health of Our Nation's Children," Vital Health Statistics 10 (1994). Available at http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/series/sr_10/sr10_191.pdf.
⁴National Institutes of Health, News Release. (September 17, 2002). Nine Hours of Sleep Key to "Back to School Success." Available at http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/new/press/02-09-19.htm.
⁵Ramchandani, Paul, Wiggs ,Luci, Webb Vicky , and Gregory Stores, "A systematic review of treatments for settling problems and night waking in young children." (2000). British Medical Journal BMJ. 2000 January 22; 320(7229): 209-213. Available at http://www.pubmedcentral.nih.gov/articlerender.fcgi?artid=27265.
⁶A. Kahn, C. Van de Merckt, E. Rebuffat, M.J. Mozin, M. Sottiaux, D. Blum, and P. Hennart, "Sleep Problems in Healthy Preadolescents," Pediatrics 84 (3,1989):542-546.
⁷Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Healthy Children, Healthy Choices. Available at http://www.cdc.gov/nccdphp/dnpa/tips/healthy_children.htm.
⁸N. Halfon, L. Olsen, M. Inkelas et. al, "Summary Statistics From the National Survey of Early Childhood Health," Vital Health Statistics 15 (2002). Available at http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/series/sr_15/sr15_003.pdf.

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Definition

In the context of this indicator, a child has a regular bedtime if his or her parent reported that the child's bedtime is usually the same everyday. Similarly, a child has a regular mealtime if his or her parent reported that the child's mealtime is usually the same everyday.

Data Source

Child Trends' original analyses of data from the National Survey of Early Childhood Health.

Raw Data Source

National Survey of Early Childhood Health
http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/about/major/slaits/nsech.htm

Approximate Date of Next Update

Unknown

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