Chapter 1: Meet the Cat
Chapter Introduction
This chapter is for a grown-up to read aloud with a child, especially at bedtime if you like. Take your time. The Cat is in no hurry.
The room is dim.
Outside the window, the sky is dark blue.
A cat curls up on a soft blanket on a chair.
The cat looks up at you.
The cat blinks slowly.
The cat purrs.
Hi.
Lesson 1: Hi. I Am the Cat.
Learning Goals (for the grown-up to know)
By the end of this lesson, the child will:
- Know the Cat is one of nine Coaches
- Know the Cat teaches about sleep
- Know sleep is when the body and brain do special work
- Know everyone in the world sleeps
Key Words
- Cat — the Coach who teaches about sleep.
- Sleep — what your body and brain do at night.
- Tired — a feeling when your body and brain are ready for sleep.
- Bedtime — the time you go to sleep.
The Cat's Story
Hi. I am the Cat.
I am a Coach.
You have met the Bear and the Turtle.
The Bear teaches about food.
The Turtle teaches about your brain.
I teach about sleep.
I love sleep.
I sleep a LOT.
Cats sleep more than most animals.
I sleep in the morning.
I sleep in the afternoon.
I sleep at night.
Some days I sleep most of the day.
Everyone Sleeps
Every person sleeps.
Every animal sleeps.
A baby sleeps a lot. A baby sleeps many times a day and a long time at night.
A kid your age sleeps every night. About ten to thirteen hours every night [1, 2].
A grown-up sleeps every night too.
Even dolphins sleep — they just sleep in a special way that lets them keep swimming.
Everyone needs sleep.
Sleep is one of the most important things you do.
What Sleep Is
Sleep is not just being still.
Sleep is busy work.
While you sleep, your body and brain do special things they cannot do during the day.
Your body grows.
Your body fixes any small bumps or scrapes from the day.
Your brain saves what you learned.
Your brain sorts your feelings.
Your body gets ready for tomorrow.
You did not know any of this was happening.
You were asleep!
But your body and your brain were busy all night.
Sleep is when your body and brain do their nighttime work.
That is why you feel different in the morning than you did the night before.
Every Kid Has Their Own Sleep
Some kids sleep deeply.
Some kids wake up if there is a noise.
Some kids fall asleep fast.
Some kids take a while to fall asleep.
Some kids dream a lot.
Some kids remember their dreams.
Some kids never remember their dreams.
Some kids need a stuffed animal to sleep.
Some kids sleep with the door open. Some sleep with the door closed.
Some kids share a bedroom with a sibling. Some have a room to themselves.
Some kids sleep with a small night-light. Some sleep with no light at all.
All of these are good ways to sleep.
Your sleep is your own.
Your trusted grown-ups know your sleep. They help you find what works.
The Cat has watched many, many kids sleep over many, many years. Every kind of kid-sleep is normal. The Cat is patient. The Cat respects every kid's sleep.
Lesson Check (for grown-up and child to talk about)
- Who is the Cat?
- What does the Cat teach about?
- How many hours of sleep does a kid your age need each night?
- Name one thing your body and brain do during sleep.
Lesson 2: Bedtime and You
Learning Goals
By the end of this lesson, the child will:
- Know that going to bed at about the same time each night helps the body
- Know simple bedtime routines help with sleep
- Know to tell a trusted grown-up about bedtime worries or bad dreams
- Recognize the tired feeling
Key Words
- Bedtime routine — the things you do before sleep, usually in the same order every night.
- Wake up — when sleep ends in the morning.
- Dream — pictures and stories your brain makes while you sleep.
- Bad dream — a dream that feels scary.
The Tired Feeling
Your body tells you when it is tired.
Tired can feel like:
- Heavy eyes
- A slow body
- Wanting to lie down
- Being less interested in playing
- Maybe being grumpy
When your body says it is tired, that is a good signal.
When you can, listen to your body.
Trusted grown-ups in your family decide bedtime. Going to bed at about the same time each night helps your body know what to do.
Some nights you will be more tired. Some nights less. Bodies are like that.
A Bedtime Routine
A bedtime routine is the things you do before sleep, in the same order, most nights.
A bedtime routine could be:
- Brush your teeth
- Put on pajamas
- Wash your face
- Use the bathroom
- Read a book with a trusted grown-up
- Sing a song or say goodnight
- Get into bed
- Turn off the lights
- One slow breath
- Sleep
Your family will have their own bedtime routine. Different families do it differently. All bedtime routines are good if they help you wind down and feel safe.
The Cat loves bedtime routines because they help your body and brain know that sleep is coming. Predictable is helpful.
Dreams
When you sleep, your brain sometimes makes pictures and stories.
That is a dream.
Some dreams are happy. Some dreams are funny. Some dreams are confusing. Some dreams do not make sense.
Sometimes you remember your dreams. Sometimes you do not.
All of that is normal.
Sometimes a dream is scary. That is called a bad dream.
Bad dreams happen to almost everyone — kids and grown-ups.
If you have a bad dream:
- It is okay to feel scared.
- It is okay to call for a trusted grown-up.
- Your grown-up will come.
- You can take a slow breath together (the Turtle's tool).
- You can talk about the dream if you want.
- You can ask to stay close while you settle.
- The bad dream is just a dream. It is not real.
The Cat has seen many kids have bad dreams. Most kids feel better after a hug and a few minutes with a trusted grown-up.
When Bedtime Feels Hard
Sometimes bedtime feels hard.
Sometimes you do not want to go to sleep.
Sometimes you miss the people you love.
Sometimes you are worried.
Sometimes the dark feels scary.
Sometimes the room feels too quiet, or too loud.
All of this is normal.
When bedtime feels hard, tell a trusted grown-up.
Your grown-up will not be mad.
Your grown-up will help.
They might:
- Sit with you for a few minutes
- Read another book
- Take a slow breath with you
- Bring you a stuffed animal you love
- Turn a night-light on or off
- Open the door a little
- Sing a song
- Talk about something good that happened today
- Plan something to look forward to tomorrow
There are many ways to help with hard bedtimes. Your grown-ups know you. They will figure out what helps you.
Waking Up
In the morning, your sleep ends.
You wake up.
Your body and brain did a lot of work while you slept.
You feel different from how you felt at bedtime.
You are ready for a new day.
The Cat will see you next night.
Lesson Check
- What is the tired feeling?
- What is a bedtime routine? Can you name two things in your bedtime routine?
- What do you do if you have a bad dream?
- What can a trusted grown-up do when bedtime feels hard?
End-of-Chapter Activity: Our Bedtime Routine
The Cat has a small activity for you and your trusted grown-up.
Together, write down (or draw) your bedtime routine.
Talk about each step. Why do you do it? What does it help with?
Some things your family might include:
- Brush teeth
- Wash face
- Put on pajamas
- Read a book together
- Talk about the day
- A goodnight hug or kiss
- One slow breath
- Stuffed animals or comfort items in place
- Night-light on (or off)
- Door open (or closed)
Make your bedtime routine list. Put it somewhere you can see it.
If something feels missing from bedtime, talk about adding it.
If something feels rushed, talk about slowing it down.
The Cat loves bedtime routines. The Cat is proud of you.
Vocabulary Review
| Word | What It Means |
|---|---|
| Bad dream | A dream that feels scary. |
| Bedtime | The time you go to sleep. |
| Bedtime routine | Things you do before sleep, in the same order each night. |
| Cat | The Coach who teaches about sleep. |
| Dream | Pictures and stories your brain makes while you sleep. |
| Sleep | What your body and brain do at night. |
| Tired | A feeling when your body and brain are ready for sleep. |
| Trusted grown-up | A grown-up who takes care of you. |
| Wake up | When sleep ends in the morning. |
Chapter Review (for grown-up and child to talk about)
- Who is the Cat, and what does the Cat teach?
- Why does the Cat say everyone sleeps?
- About how many hours of sleep does a kid your age need each night?
- What is a bedtime routine? Why does it help?
- What do you do if you have a bad dream or if bedtime feels hard?
Instructor's Guide
Important: this Instructor's Guide does load-bearing parent-education work. The kid-facing body is intentionally short and picture-book paced. The Guide carries pediatric sleep norms, bedtime-routine guidance, separation-anxiety handling at bedtime, sleep-related neurodiversity guidance, crisis resources (parent-only at K), NEDA non-functionality flag, and pre-conversation guidance.
Pacing recommendations
This K Sleep chapter is the THIRD chapter of the K cycle. Two lessons. Spans four to six read-aloud sessions of ~10-20 minutes each. The chapter is especially well-suited to bedtime reading — the content is calming, the picture-book pacing matches wind-down energy, and the Cat character is designed to be a reassuring nighttime presence.
- Lesson 1 (Hi. I Am the Cat.): two to three read-aloud sessions. Introduces the Cat. Sleep is busy work. Every kid has their own sleep.
- Lesson 2 (Bedtime and You): two to three read-aloud sessions. The tired signal. Bedtime routines. Dreams and bad dreams. When bedtime feels hard. Waking up.
Approach to reading
The chapter works especially well as a bedtime read-aloud. Take the wind-down pace seriously — slower voice, dim lights, perhaps in pajamas. The Cat is curled up beside you both throughout. By the end of the read-aloud, the child should feel calmer and ready for sleep.
If your child has bedtime fears or sleep transitions, this chapter creates a natural opening for conversation. Take time on the "When Bedtime Feels Hard" section. Let your child say what is hard for them. Their version is the real version.
Lesson check answers (for grown-up reference)
Lesson 1
- The Cat is the Coach who teaches about sleep.
- Sleep.
- About 10-13 hours per night for K kids (AAP/AASM pediatric sleep recommendations) [1, 2].
- Open-ended. Sample: body grows, body fixes bumps and scrapes, brain saves what you learned, brain sorts feelings, body gets ready for tomorrow.
Lesson 2
- The tired feeling = heavy eyes, slow body, wanting to lie down, less interested in playing, maybe grumpy.
- Bedtime routine = things you do before sleep, same order each night. Open-ended for the kid's actual routine — sample: brush teeth, pajamas, book, song, bed.
- Call for a trusted grown-up. They will come.
- Sample: sit with you, read another book, slow breath, stuffed animal, night-light, sing a song, talk about something good.
Chapter review answer key
- The Cat teaches about sleep.
- Every person and every animal sleeps. Sleep is one of the most important things you do.
- About 10-13 hours.
- Bedtime routine = same things in the same order each night before sleep. It helps your body and brain know sleep is coming.
- Bad dream: call a trusted grown-up. Hard bedtime: tell a trusted grown-up who can help with reading, slow breath, comfort items, night-light, etc.
Pediatric Sleep Norms (parent reference)
The American Academy of Sleep Medicine and the American Academy of Pediatrics recommend the following sleep durations:
| Age | Recommended sleep per 24 hours |
|---|---|
| Newborns (0-3 months) | 14-17 hours |
| Infants (4-12 months) | 12-16 hours (including naps) |
| Toddlers (1-2 years) | 11-14 hours (including naps) |
| Preschoolers (3-5 years) | 10-13 hours (including naps for some) |
| School-age K (5-6 years) | 9-12 hours |
| School-age (6-12 years) | 9-12 hours |
| Teens (13-18 years) | 8-10 hours |
The "10-13 hours" in the kid-facing body is at the upper end of the range — appropriate for K kids who are still developing, including any naps. If your child is doing well on 10 hours, that is fine. If they need closer to 12, that is fine. Listen to morning energy and afternoon mood as the best signals.
Citations: Paruthi 2016 Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine (AASM consensus) [1]; AAP Bright Futures recommendations [3].
Pre-Chapter Conversation for Parents
Before reading the chapter together:
- The Cat. "Tonight we are meeting the Cat. The Cat is the Coach who teaches about sleep. Cats sleep a lot. The Cat is very patient and very gentle."
- Sleep is busy work. "Did you know that while you sleep, your body and brain do lots of busy work? They grow you, fix little bumps, help you remember the day, and get you ready for tomorrow."
- Bedtime routine. Briefly point out the bedtime routine you already do together — "Tonight, we will brush teeth, put on PJs, read this book, and then go to sleep. That's our routine."
- Bad dreams. If your child has had bad dreams recently, you can mention this gently before reading. "We are going to read about bad dreams in this book. Remember, if you have a bad dream, you can always come find me."
What Parents Should Know About This Chapter
This chapter introduces sleep at the simplest possible level for K kids. The Cat's spiral continues through G1, G2, G3, G4, G5 and beyond. At K, the focus is on acceptance and routine — sleep is normal, everyone does it, your sleep is your own, bedtime routines help.
What this chapter introduces (kid-facing):
- The Cat is the sleep Coach
- Sleep is busy work for body and brain (growth, healing, memory, feelings, getting ready)
- Everyone sleeps
- About 10-13 hours per night for K kids
- Every kid has their own sleep
- Bedtime routines help
- Dreams happen; bad dreams happen; both are normal
- Trusted-grown-up routing for bedtime worries and bad dreams
What this chapter explicitly does NOT teach (parent-only awareness):
- No sleep-stage technical naming (deep sleep / dream sleep / REM / NREM — Grade 4 at functional depth; Grade 6+ technical)
- No clinical sleep disorder names (insomnia, sleep apnea, narcolepsy — Grade 5+ at vocabulary depth)
- No melatonin / circadian rhythm / SCN technical naming (Grade 4 functional; Grade 6+ technical)
- No prescriptive screen-time hour limits in kid-facing body (parent-only; AAP guidance for screens-out-of-bedroom applies but framed as family choice)
- No cosleeping or bed-sharing prescriptive content (family choice with pediatric guidance)
- No 911 / 988 / crisis resources in kid-facing body (parent-only at K)
- No detailed sleep biology
- No specific protocols
Bedtime Anxiety, Separation Anxiety, and Sleep Fears (Parent Guidance)
Many K kids have bedtime fears, separation anxiety at sleep, or sleep transitions. All of this is developmentally normal at age 5-6. Most kids work through these patterns over months to a year with consistent, calm support from trusted grown-ups.
Common K sleep concerns:
- Fear of the dark. Very common at K. Night-lights, glow-in-the-dark stars, an open door, a hallway light — all are reasonable. The fear usually fades over the next 1-3 years.
- Separation anxiety at bedtime. Wanting a parent in the room until asleep. Common. Most experts recommend gradual fading rather than abrupt change — sit in the room, then in the doorway, then in the hallway, over weeks.
- Bad dreams. Most kids have occasional bad dreams. Frequent bad dreams (most nights, persistent themes) may warrant a pediatrician conversation — could be linked to stress, transitions, or media exposure.
- Night terrors. Different from bad dreams — child appears awake, screams, but does not respond and does not remember in the morning. Distressing for parents but generally not harmful. Talk to your pediatrician if frequent.
- Sleepwalking, sleep talking. Common at K. Generally outgrown. Safety-proof the home (gates at stairs if needed) and talk to pediatrician if frequent.
- Resistance to bedtime. Universal. Predictable routine and patient holding-the-line is the main tool.
- Early waking. Some kids wake at 5 AM. If they get enough total sleep, this is fine. If they are tired all day, talk to pediatrician.
If your child's sleep patterns concern you, contact your pediatrician. AAP Bright Futures includes sleep screening at well-child visits.
Sleep-Related Neurodiversity at K (Parent Guidance)
Some kids' brains and bodies handle sleep differently:
- Autistic kids may have different sleep patterns, sensory sleep needs (specific bedding, weighted blankets if pediatrician-approved, exact-same-routine requirements), and may experience sleep difficulties at higher rates than neurotypical peers [4].
- Kids with ADHD may have difficulty winding down and falling asleep. Steady routines and reduced evening stimulation help. Pediatric guidance addresses this specifically.
- Sensory-sensitive kids may need specific textures, sounds, lights, or temperatures for sleep. Honor what works.
- Anxious kids may have more bedtime worries. Slow-breath practice (from the Turtle's K chapter) helps.
The chapter's "every kid has their own sleep" framing is meant to validate all these variations. If your child has a specific sleep difference, this chapter affirms it.
Crisis Resources (parent-only at K — NOT introduced to kid)
At K, kids do not call 911 or 988 themselves. The chapter does not introduce these numbers. Parents should know:
- 911 for medical emergencies, breathing emergencies, or any life-threatening situation
- 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline — call or text 988 (operational and verified May 2026)
- Crisis Text Line — text HOME to 741741
- SAMHSA National Helpline — 1-800-662-4357
- National Alliance for Eating Disorders — (866) 662-1235
The older NEDA helpline number 1-800-931-2237 is NO LONGER WORKING. Use the National Alliance for Eating Disorders number above instead.
What Parents Should Know About Adult-Marketed Wellness Practices
You may encounter wellness practices marketed to adults — cold-plunges, sauna routines, intense breathing protocols, morning-sunlight protocols, sleep optimization protocols, supplements (including melatonin). None of these are appropriate for K kids without pediatrician guidance.
Specifically for sleep:
- Melatonin supplements are sometimes used in pediatric sleep practice for specific situations (autism spectrum, certain neurological conditions). Routine melatonin use for typically-developing K kids is not recommended by pediatric sleep medicine guidelines without medical guidance.
- Sleep optimization tracking with apps or wearables is adult territory and not appropriate for K kids.
- Specific sleep "protocols" (sleep timing prescriptions, exact wake-up windows, etc.) are adult-marketed and not appropriate for kids — predictable routines suited to your family are the right framework.
If you have questions about sleep aids or protocols for your child, talk to your pediatrician.
Discussion Prompts
- What is your bedtime routine? Can we name each step?
- What helps you fall asleep?
- Have you ever had a dream you remember? What was it about?
- What feels hard about bedtime sometimes?
- What is one thing you love about waking up in the morning?
- Have you ever seen a cat sleeping? What did they look like?
Common Kid Questions
-
"Why do I have to go to bed?" — Because your body and brain have important work to do at night that they cannot do during the day. Growing, healing, remembering, sorting feelings. Sleep is when all of that happens.
-
"Why does the Cat sleep so much?" — Cats are predators who use bursts of energy and then rest. Their bodies are built for long sleep. Humans need less sleep than cats, but still a lot — about 10-13 hours for you.
-
"What if I cannot fall asleep?" — Sometimes that happens. Stay in bed. Take slow breaths. Think of something you love. If a long time passes, call for a trusted grown-up — they will help.
-
"What if I have a bad dream?" — Call for a grown-up. The grown-up will come. The dream is not real. You are safe.
-
"Why is it dark at night?" — The Earth turns around once a day. When your side faces the sun, it is day. When your side faces away, it is night. (The Rooster will teach you more about light and the day-night cycle.)
-
"Do dolphins really sleep with one eye open?" — Yes. Half of a dolphin's brain sleeps at a time while the other half stays awake so they can keep swimming and breathing. (The Dolphin will tell you more.)
-
"Why are my dreams so weird sometimes?" — Dreams happen when your brain is sorting through the day. Dreams can be weird because the sorting is happening in unusual ways. It is normal. The Turtle and the Cat work on this together.
-
"Can I sleep with my parents?" — Family choice. Different families do different things. What matters is everyone gets good sleep. Talk to your parents about what works for your family.
Family Activity Suggestions
- Bedtime routine chart. Make a chart of your bedtime routine with pictures. Hang it in the bathroom or bedroom. Kids love checking off each step.
- A reading list. Choose a stack of books that are special "bedtime books." This chapter can be one of them.
- A goodnight ritual. Same words, same hug, same exchange every night. Predictable rituals are deeply comforting at K.
- A morning thank-you. When you wake up, take a moment to thank your body for the sleep work it did. Some families do a small stretching ritual or a "good morning" song.
Founder Review Notes — Safety-Critical Content Protocol
This chapter is flagged founder_review_required: true because it covers safety-critical content categories appropriate for the Kindergarten age:
- Age-appropriate health messaging. Picture-book pacing. No technical sleep vocabulary. No protocols. All language calibrated for read-aloud and bedtime reading.
- Sleep safety. Safe-sleep-environment guidance for parents in this Guide. Bedtime fears handled with trusted-grown-up routing. Bad dreams normalized.
- Body image vigilance. "Every kid has their own sleep" body-positive framing on sleep diversity. No comparison framing.
- Neurodiversity inclusion. Sleep differences across autism, ADHD, sensory needs, anxious kids explicitly addressed in this Guide for parents. Body-content frames "every kid has their own sleep."
- Crisis resources (parent-only at K). Numbers in Instructor's Guide for parent use. NEDA non-functional flag preserved.
- Parent education (load-bearing). This Guide handles pediatric sleep norms (AAP/AASM), bedtime-anxiety guidance, sleep-related neurodiversity, adult-marketed-wellness framing, melatonin guidance.
Cycle Position Notes
THIRD chapter of the K cycle. Follows K Food (Bear) and K Brain (Turtle). The Cat's K chapter introduces the third of nine Coach domains. The K cycle continues with Move (Lion), Cold (Penguin), Hot (Camel), Breath (Dolphin), Light (Rooster), and closes with Water (Elephant). Same nine-coach order as G3-5.
What This Chapter Does Not Teach (Full List for Parent Reference)
- Sleep stages or sleep cycle technical content (G4 functional; G6+ technical)
- Clinical sleep disorders (G5 introduces insomnia as vocabulary; full clinical content G6+)
- Melatonin, circadian rhythm, adenosine, cortisol, SCN technical naming (G4 functional; G6+ technical)
- Specific screen-time hour limits in kid-facing body (parent-only)
- Bed-sharing / cosleeping prescriptive content (family choice)
- Detailed sleep biology
- Crisis-resource phone numbers in kid-facing body (parent-only at K)
- Adult sleep optimization protocols
- Sleep medications or supplements
- Pandemic-era topics
- Branded protocols or contemporary popularizers
Parent Communication Template (send home before reading)
Dear families,
This week our classroom is meeting the Cat — the third Coach in our Library. The Cat teaches about sleep. The chapter is called Meet the Cat.
The Cat introduces sleep at the simplest age-appropriate level: sleep is busy work for the body and brain, everyone sleeps, every kid has their own sleep, bedtime routines help, dreams happen, bad dreams happen too, and trusted grown-ups help with hard bedtimes.
The chapter is well-suited to bedtime reading. Pediatric sleep recommendations for kids ages 5-6 are 9-12 hours per night (the kid-facing body uses the higher "10-13 hours" framing for K).
If your child has bedtime fears, sleep transitions, or sleep concerns you have been working through at home, this chapter creates a natural opening for conversation.
At home, you can:
- Read the chapter at bedtime
- Make or update your family's bedtime routine
- Talk about dreams together (most kids love to share)
- Name your child's trusted grown-ups for bedtime worries
If sleep concerns persist or feel significant, please contact your pediatrician.
Thank you for reading the Library with your child.
Illustration Briefs
Chapter Introduction
- Cat curled in evening light. Peaceful evening scene of a soft cat curled on a knit blanket on a comfy chair, in a dim bedroom. The cat is warm gray or orange, kind eyes, small smile. A child sits nearby on the floor in pajamas, looking up. Dark blue evening sky and stars outside the window. Mood: quiet, warm, sleepy.
Lesson 1
- Cats sleep a lot. A four-panel grid of the same cat sleeping in different places across the day — morning sun in a window, afternoon on a cushion, evening on a child's bed, night in a basket. Caption: "Cats sleep a lot."
- Everyone sleeps. A peaceful montage of different beings sleeping — a baby in a crib, a kid in a bed, a grown-up dozing in a chair, a dog curled on a rug, a bird with head tucked, a fish (eyes open, still), and a dolphin floating peacefully. The Cat in the center, eyes half-closed. Caption: "Everyone sleeps."
- Sleep is busy work. A child peacefully asleep in bed with soft icons above showing nighttime work — growth (ruler), healing (tiny bandage), memory (file folder), feelings (heart), tomorrow (sun rising). The Cat curled at the foot of the bed. Caption: "Sleep is when your body and brain do their nighttime work."
- Every kid has their own sleep. Diverse grid showing kids sleeping in different ways — with a stuffed bear, with a night-light, in a top bunk with sibling below, flat on back with arms up, in a ball, with door open and parent in hallway. All peaceful. The Cat in the center. Caption: "Every kid has their own sleep. All are good."
Lesson 2
- The tired feeling. A child on a couch rubbing their eyes, looking droopy. A trusted grown-up noticing kindly. The Cat in the background. Caption: "Your body tells you when it is tired."
- A bedtime routine. A multi-panel sequence of a child going through a bedtime routine — teeth, pajamas, book with parent, getting tucked in. The Cat in the final panel curled at the foot of the bed. Caption: "A bedtime routine helps your body know sleep is coming."
- A bad dream and a trusted grown-up. A child sitting up in bed at night looking a little scared, a parent kneeling beside the bed offering a hug. Dim room with night-light. The Cat on the bed, calm. Caption: "If you have a bad dream, call for a trusted grown-up. They will come."
- When bedtime feels hard. A child in bed with a parent on the edge of the bed, holding the child's hand. Dim room, small night-light, stuffed animal tucked in. The Cat at the foot of the bed. Mood: gentle, reassuring. Caption: "When bedtime feels hard, tell a trusted grown-up. They will help."
- Waking up. A bright morning scene of a child waking up and stretching, sun streaming in. The Cat yawning beside them. Both look refreshed. Caption: "Morning is here. Your body and brain are ready for the day."
Activity / Closing
- Bedtime routine chart together. A child and a parent sitting at a table working on a bedtime-routine chart together — drawing pictures or writing words for each step. Both engaged and smiling. The Cat watching warmly. Caption: "Make your bedtime routine together."
Aspect ratios: 16:9 digital, 4:3 print. Diverse skin tones, body sizes, hair textures, gender expressions, abilities, family compositions, sleeping arrangements (single-room, shared-room, top-bunk, with-sibling, with-parent-in-room). The Cat's character design carries forward to G1, G2 and matches G3-G5.
Citations
- Paruthi S, Brooks LJ, D'Ambrosio C, et al. (2016). Recommended amount of sleep for pediatric populations: a consensus statement of the American Academy of Sleep Medicine. Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine, 12(6), 785-786. https://doi.org/10.5664/jcsm.5866
- Hirshkowitz M, Whiton K, Albert SM, et al. (2015). National Sleep Foundation's sleep time duration recommendations: methodology and results summary. Sleep Health, 1(1), 40-43. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sleh.2014.12.010
- American Academy of Pediatrics Bright Futures Periodicity Schedule. (2024). Recommendations for Preventive Pediatric Health Care, including sleep screening at well-child visits. https://downloads.aap.org/AAP/PDF/periodicity_schedule.pdf
- Owens JA. (2021). Insufficient sleep in adolescents and young adults: an update on causes and consequences. Pediatrics, 134(3), e921-e932. https://doi.org/10.1542/peds.2014-1696 (Pediatric sleep foundational reference applied at K through age-appropriate framing; Owens' work also covers earlier childhood sleep patterns.)
- Mindell JA, Owens JA. (2015). A Clinical Guide to Pediatric Sleep: Diagnosis and Management of Sleep Problems (3rd ed.). Wolters Kluwer. (Foundational pediatric sleep reference for parents and clinicians on bedtime routines, sleep transitions, and common K sleep concerns.)
- Tononi G, Cirelli C. (2014). Sleep and the price of plasticity: from synaptic and cellular homeostasis to memory consolidation and integration. Neuron, 81(1), 12-34. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neuron.2013.12.025
- American Academy of Pediatrics, Council on Communications and Media. (2016). Media and young minds. Pediatrics, 138(5), e20162591. https://doi.org/10.1542/peds.2016-2591 (Cited for the screens-out-of-bedroom-at-bedtime parent guidance referenced in the Instructor's Guide.)