How much are your children sleeping?

We just completed our first 5 day week of school and I know we are all feeling the beginnings of exhaustion as we juggle our after school activities with our children's school schedule.  It made me wonder, how many hours of sleep should an elementary school student have?  It is recommended that children from ages 5-12 get 10-11 hours of sleep a night.  A nighttime routine is very helpful in settling your child in at night.  A typical routine before saying good night to your child might include a snack, bath, brushing teeth, and reading a story together.  Making your child's bedtime the same every night is very helpful to having your child fall asleep and stay asleep at night.  Eliminating all electronic use prior to bedtime has also proven to be an effective tool in getting your child to fall asleep easier at night.  As a parent of young children myself I know it isn't always easy with after school activities to maintain a nighttime routine but the benefits of a well rested child help everyone the following day.