Helping Parent’s Choose Quality Mattresses for Their Kids

“I’m an experienced pro in retail mattress sales, but the one area I would like to improve is how to gently take parents looking at the cheapest mattress they can find and reorient them toward the importance of the quality of their child’s sleep.” 

If you have found yourself in this dilemma time in time again, this article may be able to shred some light and important talking points on the important of sleep especially in children. It’s a question that has been asked time and time again. Why would so many caring parents want to scrimp on mattresses for their children? The answer is simply that many parents aren’t aware of the crucial role mattresses play in the overall health and well-being of their children.

Most kids seem to sleep pretty well wherever they are, but parents aren’t able to gauge the quality of sleep. And with so many other needs and wants to fulfill, mattresses can be just another item on the shopping list. Dollars have to be allocated.

Understanding parents’ mindsets is the first step in helping them. That’s where RSAs come in. There may be nothing nobler than helping parents choose to invest in quality, comfortable and supportive mattresses for their kids.

Try this approach to aid parents in making better choices:

“I’m glad you came today. We feel it is our responsibility to give you some helpful information so that you can choose a mattress that is both a good value and good for your child’s health and wellness. The Better Sleep Council recommends children sleep nine hours per night. That’s the equivalent of more than 11 full days per month. Your child will spend more time sleeping on his mattress than doing any other activity. A quality mattress may be the most important purchase you can make for your child.”

Suggested Talking Points

• Discuss the long-term effects of a good night’s sleep – Most people understand the positive cumulative effect of taking daily vitamins, getting exercise, making healthy meal choices and staying well-hydrated. But fewer people realize that getting plenty of deep, restorative sleep every night has an even more positive long-term impact on almost every aspect of a person’s life.
• Explain Health Risks – Sleeping on a mattress that doesn’t provide adequate comfort can create pressure points, inhibiting circulation to a child’s developing organs and muscle tissue. Poor mattress support can lead to long-term problems with skeletal development and alignment. In addition, poor quality sleep on an inadequate mattress can cause lapse in attention and delayed response times in the classroom, during sports activities and, of more serious consequence for older children, while driving.
• Tout Broad Benefits -Well rested kids show improved performance at school and in athletic activities. They have better dispositions, and consequently, form strong relationships.
• Discuss Value – Using comparisons is a good way to put investing in a quality mattress in a better perspective. Parents spend far more on other items: “Over the course of a child’s lifetime, consider how much we spend on clothing, shoes, food and entertainment for our kids. Mattresses are one of the best values of all.” 
• Sell Accessories – Always recommend parents purchase protectors, pillows and quality frame to protect their investment and maximize the life of the mattress.

Understanding the benefits of deep, restorative sleep and having a mission to help parents choose to invest in a comfortable, supportive mattresses for their children are rewarding for RSAs. But the real payoff is for the parents.

<Article Source: Sleep Savvy Magazine, Sept 2013, “Closing Words,” by Gerry Morris.>