On November 2, we will turn the clocks back one hour to mark the end of Daylight Saving Time. Parents across America will all of a sudden be a little more tired. Why? While people without children will be basking in one extra hour of sleep on Sunday morning (or staying out one hour later—oh how those days are a distant memory!), children will be waking up at their regularly scheduled times, but those times will have shifted earlier. For some with early risers already, this really hurts. The time change isn’t fun, but there are a few things you can do to help your child and make it a little easier on your family.
Option #1: Get Ready Ahead of Time
If you were a Girl Scout, you might go with this option, and I highly recommend it if you have a child that is very sleep sensitive (very schedule oriented, goes to sleep easily within a certain window, but has a hard time when things are off track) or if your child is already an early riser. Begin getting ready for the time change about 4-5 days before November 2. That means, on Wednesday before the time change, put your child down for naps and for bed 15 minutes later. On Thursday, go another 15 minutes from that. On Friday, go another 15 minutes later (this will give you extra trick or treating time since it’s Halloween). On Saturday, do another 15 minutes and voila! You’ve gradually shifted an hour earlier, so when you turn the clocks back that night, you’ll be on the new time already.
Option #2 Make Daylight Saving Time on Saturday
I don’t know who decided that shifting times on Saturday night was a good idea, but I often think that it would be so much easier if we had the entire weekend to recover. If you are organized and can keep track of time well, consider turning your clocks back Friday night/Saturday morning and shift to the new time over the weekend. You could prepare ahead of time by shifting things earlier a few days beforehand or just go cold turkey to the new times. Whatever you decide to do, it will be easier to go with the flow on Saturday and Sunday instead of just on Sunday. Don’t forget that the rest of the country isn’t shifting times, so if you have appointments, baseball games, or parties to attend, they would still be on the old time.
Option #3 Just wait and go with the flow
You don’t have to prepare for the time change ahead of time and you can just wait until Saturday night, turn your clocks back and deal with an earlier morning. If your child uses a tot clock, you could compromise and turn it back 30 minutes Saturday night and 30 more minutes the next night and make the wake time a little less painful (assuming your child will stay in their room until the light changes). For naps you would nap at the new regular time (or if they are having a hard time staying awake, go 30 minutes earlier than normal). Do the same with bedtime in case the nap is short. This will keep your child from becoming overtired. Younger babies can have a lot of trouble with this, so watch for sleepy cues and put them down earlier if necessary.
The Effects of the Time Change
Most children adjust to the time change within in a few days to a week. If your child gets “stuck” it may be a result of giving in to those early wakings and starting your day too early, or it could also be that your child is overtired. Encourage your child to stay in his room until it is time to wake up. Be sure to pay attention to your child’s nap and nighttime sleep routine, and be consistent. This is a great time of year to evaluate what you are doing and make any necessary changes to improve your child’s sleep. Falling back and losing an hour of sleep is never fun, but by following some of these suggestions, you should be able to be back on track in no time!
Written by Lori Strong, Certified Sleep Consultant and Owner of Strong Little Sleepers
Lori is a Certified Child Sleep Consultant through and Certified Happiest Baby Educator. She is the founder and owner of Strong Little Sleepers, which was started on the idea that all families need and deserve to get a good night’s sleep. Lori was the first certified child sleep consultant in Austin, Texas and was honored as Best Sleep Expert in the 2013 Austin Birth Awards. She is also a member of the International Association of Child Sleep Consultants. Lori combines her experience as an educator and a parent to offer customized sleep plans and support to families with children ages 0-6 across the country.
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