Saving Sleep: How to navigate the time change with children!
Daylight savings. Normally it wouldn’t invoke any emotional response…that is, before children. Many parents relish in “springing forward” because it (typically means that children will sleep in as opposed to waking early for “falling back”) and it signifies that summer is on the horizon, including but not limited to warmer weather and more free activities for those with children. We adults can manage the time changes relatively easily—but [especially younger] children need time to adjust to the change, especially as it relates to sleep and sleep schedules.
Until the debate is settled to do away with daylight savings, we must try our best to support our children through the time change. Here are some tips for doing so:
Tips on how to tame the time change
Slowly Change the sleep times
Thankfully, most phone calendars let us know when the time change occurs. If you can, be sure to put them where you will see them (home calendar, post-it note, etc) so you can plan for when you need to start adjusting the schedule. I recommend doing so the week before it is set to happen. They usually occur on a Sunday, so you would plan to start adjusting the Sunday/Monday before. You can do small increments such as 10min per day if you want/can start on the Sunday before or about 15 min per day if you plan to just do so during the work/school week. For example, in the case of “springing forward,” you would start putting them to bed 10 minutes earlier each night. So if bedtime is normally 7:30, the first night (depending on if you are doing 10 or 15 minutes at a time) would be 7:15/7:20, the second would be 7:00/7:10, and so on and so forth until you eventually will be a full hour behind (or ahead) by the time the time change happens on the following Sunday/weekend.
You can adapt this method however you want depending on your family’s needs. For example, if you are only going to change the schedule for the last three days, you would do 20 minutes or so each night to make it to the full hour by the time change. However, especially with young children or children who do not adapt to change easily, I strongly suggest the gradual approach.
The same goes for meals and naptimes
Adjustment goes for every part of the day, especially if you do have a set schedule for your family during the day or if your children have a set schedule due to school and/or daycare. The key is consistency. If your child is used to eating at noon time and sleep by 1 pm everyday, if you do not adjust the schedule outside of it, then it could make those times more difficult as well because their bodies are still in the previous time “mode.” We want to decrease the “shock” to their bodies! You may find that they get hungrier earlier (during spring forward) or not as hungry as “usual” (during fallback) as well. You can alleviate this with some [healthy] snacks while they adjust, but not too heavy as to not drastically impact mealtime.
Prepare for that Extra Light in the Evenings (Spring Forward)
If you do not have blackout curtains, I highly recommend buying them! This will help eliminate the bedtime debate of it being light outside and aid in signaling their body for sleep by eliminating the amount of light in their sleeping areas!
Pro tip: if your child (typically as they get older) starts to complain because they think it is too early for bed because of the extra daylight, it can help to start teaching them how to look at the clock (if they don’t know how already) and recognize the time of bed rather than the amount of light. You can also utilze “wake to sleep” clocks such as the Hatch night light, which allows you to set “programs” that has it turn on or change to a certain color when it is time to go to sleep and/or wake up!
Get out (and soak up) as much as you can of the extra sunlight
Typically by spring, we are yearning to get outside after the winter months/season. Not only will getting out and getting your daily dose of vitamin D which is good for your mood and mental health, but it also helps with sleep! The more children (and adults) are out and exposed to sunlight the more energy we burn which can make us more tired in the evenings–but not too tired because contrary to popular belief, an overtired child is more difficult to get to sleep!
You may notice in the fall that getting your baby or toddler to bed can be less of an issue as our bodies think it’s later. However, for those with early risers, you can find yourself up with your child(ren) in the wee hours of the morning. Be sure to let them know that it’s still bedtime (at least until 6 a.m.). To which you can do with the “wake to sleep” clocks mentioned earlier and/or by setting verbal reminders and letting your child stay in their bed/crib until the appropriate time.
All in all, allow for flexibility and compassion with your child and yourself as you all adjust to the time change. For some, it can take little to no time, and for others, it can take a bit longer. Just know that eventually it will all even out–it may just be longer than we would like! Stteady the course and wide the wave, the waters will calm!
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