Daylight Savings Time Tips to Transition Your Kids
Daylight Savings Time is the worst, especially for young children.
It’s true, everyone’s internal clock gets messed up a little bit when we “fall back” or “spring forward,” but kids rely heavily on their sense of structure, and time changes really mess up their routine.
In fact, the younger your child is, the more likely they are to struggle with adjustments to new sleep schedules, feeding times, and everything else that get’s altered ever so slightly.
But no matter the age of your child, there are some things you can do to prepare your child for the transition.
Daylight Savings Time Tips to Transition Your Kids
Gradually shift bedtime.
Roughly 4 days prior to the time switch, modify your child’s bedtime around in 15 minute increments. For example…
In the spring… If your child typically goes to bed at 8:00 pm, begin putting them down at 7:45 pm the first night, 7:30 pm the second might, 7:15 the third night, until they’ve reached a 7:00 pm bedtime on the last night. Overnight, the clocks will “spring forward,” placing them back at an 8:00 pm bedtime.
In the fall… Do the opposite. If your child typically goes to bed at 8:00 pm, begin putting them down at 8:15 pm the first night, 8:30 pm the second might, 8:45 pm the third night, until they’ve reached a 9:00 pm bedtime on the last night. Overnight, the clocks will “fall back,” placing them back at an 8:00 pm bedtime.
Consider shifting meal times.
Our bodies signal to us when it’s time to sleep, and metabolism and digestion plays a large role in that.
So if your child has just eaten dinner right before their new “bed time,” their bodies may not feel ready to go to bed.
Likewise, if your child has done an hour longer than usual after eating, they may be getting sleepy too early.
Adjusting meal times to match the new intervals of bed time can help with the body’s sleep signals.
Dim the lights.
Our body’s natural circadian rhythm is fueled my melatonin, which increases in the evenings as it becomes dark. So when dealing a time change, we have to control the darkness.
Dim the lights in your child’s room and turn off all electronics about 30 - 60 minutes prior to bedtime.
Blackout curtains are also your friend… In the spring, you will want to black out the light that’s still happening outside when your child goes asleep to signal that it’s time for bed. In the fall, you will want to make sure minimal light creeps in in the morning, so your children don’t rise earlier than you need them to.
Stick with your bedtime routine.
Keep everything the same as it was. The only thing that has changed is the time.
For example, if your bedtime routine is a bath, pajamas, a story, and a lullaby, continue to do each of those things in their typical order. Don’t modify any part of that routine. Remember, the only thing changing is the time.
Kids rely on routine more than we realize. Your child’s bedtime routine actually signals bedtime to their little brains far more than the time on the clock does. Make sure that routine stays the same so they can begin mentally and physically winding down.
Tire them out.
Adjusting bed times, meal times, and light signals helps the body’s natural fatigue begin to take effect.
But you can also create a little of that on your own! Encourage your kids to play hard outside and involve themselves in many activities prior to the new bedtime.
The more energy they use, the more tired they will feel. So encourage your children to use up all their energy!
Be patient.
Time changes are notorious for causing an increase in mood shifts, temper tantrums, and fussy babies.
I would encourage you to follow this transition with yourself, as well as with your kids, so that you are protecting your own rest and energy during this transition. Without being at your best, it’s always most difficult to respond to our children’s needs, so be patient, and get plenty of rest yourself as well.
Some children are totally fine with the changes that come with daylight savings time, but others will really struggle. And you won’t know which one your kid is until after the shift happens.
So start prepping your child early. Trust me, you’d rather put supports in place and never know whether your child struggles, than to take the risk of not preparing them and waiting to find out!
