Persuasive Essay On Why Kids Should Start Later

More Sleep

Teens are the most likely not to get enough sleep during the school week due to the amount of homework they have. A lot of teens are not getting the right amount of sleep, and are instead getting “about seven hours of sleep per night when they should be getting nine and a-half hours of sleep per night” (“Backgrounder. Later School”). Other organizations like the CDC and pediatricians cited significant risks that come with lack of sleep, “including higher rates of obesity and depression and motor-vehicle accidents among teens as well as an overall lower quality of life”(Hamblin). These are just some of the effects it has on people WHO do not get enough sleep due to early wake times during the school year.

Pediatricians say that because of early start times teens sleeping schedule has been altered so much that they are not getting enough healthy sleep. Teens have been getting caffeinated drinks “ to get through the day or sleeping more on weekends doesn't make up for the sleep deficits,”(Shute). This has lead to childhood obesity, because of all the poor eating habits, and terrible sleep schedule just to get homework done and get to school on time. If pediatricians are saying that school should start later because of how bad it is for your body, people think the school board would do something.

But the many school boards said that “it would cost too much to start school, because of redirecting bus routes, and energy useage”, but if school starts later many teens will do better in school because or a better sleep.

If Teens are having a hard time waking up in the morning and have a hard time doing simple tasks like brushing their teeth, or eating breakfast, how do you think they are going to act in school? This is one thing that a lot of school boards just ignore even though a lot of people have brought up to them that kids are struggling in the morning. If school starts later then teens will be able to do better in school sports, work, all just because they got the good night sleep, and are actually able to be prepared for school.

Doctors have said that with a later start time kids will be able to focus more because of sleep and they will be able to eat a healthy breakfast. Eight “high schools in Minnesota, Colorado, and Wyoming found that shifting the school day later in the morning resulted in a boost in attendance, test scores, and grades in math, English, science, and social studies” (Hamblin). This shows that with a later start time and a better sleep kids were able to do much better in school. A Teens “internal clock” is being messed up and they are not able to sleep as normal, because of the different times they have to wake up in morning.

If teens continue to wake up early the amount of health related issues will go up along with how poor their grades will be, because they are too tired to work. Students always complain that it is too early to do work or that they are too tired and don’t want to work, that’s why the Wake County Board of Education should maybe listen to the students because they could fix many issues with their education system. Not only students but “Everybody learns better when they’re awake.” (Hamblin) because their mind is in a working state. The body functions better with a good night’s sleep, but school work and sports can cause that “ good night’s sleep” to become three to five hours of sleep. If teens continue on the path of bad sleep it could affect how they progress inside and outside of school.

In conclusion a good night’s sleep is needed to succeed in life, and if you don’t sleep well it can affect how you do in school.

Wake County should start school later for high schools, because students are not prepared enough in the morning to learn and function well in a classroom setting. Pediatricians and other individuals high up in the medical field agreed that the early wake up times were taking a toll on a teen’s life and can cause their bodies harm. If we could start school later and let teens get a bit more sleep than they could do better in school, and will be more motivated to do well, because they were able to get a better and longer night’s

sleep!