Preparing Your Children For Daylight Saving Time

I am feeling on the fence about the upcoming weekend. Love weekends. But compared to prior years, this one weekend out of the 52 of them is different. First off, we are turning the clocks back an hour. Great, great news. That equals to more quality time with the two loves of my life. But here's the part that troubles me a bit. My son. I'm a little concerned about the end results for him. How he will adapt and cope with daylight saving time. That's what creates the downfall of this weekend. But im coming prepared. With the bit of information I have collected, not just for me but for you as well, I should survive. Hopefully.

It's a known fact, newborn babies are usually not effected by the start or finish of Daylight Saving. However older babies and toddlers can be effected for a week or two and you may have an overtired little one on your hands as a result. Not to worry! S.O.S. Mom to the rescue. At least I'll try my best!

Transition at the start and finish of daylight saving is far easier if your baby is in a routine. You can make gradual changes to their routine, and the transition will be much easier. If your baby or toddler isn’t in a routine, there is still time to get organized. At the very least have a consistent bedtime for the next few days.

Although adults and older children can usually quickly adapt to a new wake up and sleep time, especially if they are already a little sleep deprived, it can be more difficult for younger children. you can expect a grumpy toddler for up to three weeks. Again, the younger the child, the longer it will take to adjust. According to multiple studies, poor or inadequate sleep causes irritability, stress and anxiety. No big surprise there. Pile on top of that an inability to verbally communicate and you've got a cranky young child on your hands for days, if not weeks. Just brace yourselves and prepare to expect some rocky terrain. After moving the clocks back an hour, children who were used to going to bed at 7pm are likely to be ready to go to bed at 6pm. While that may be okay, they may then be likely to wake up at 6am... which may not be okay! So again, be proactive and prepare for the clocks going back. This should minimise the interference to your baby's sleep and help them adjust much quicker.

Here are some guidelines, assuming a 7pm bedtime:

Day	Routine during the day	Bedtime
Wednesday	Usual sleep & feed times	7.00pm
Thursday	Sleep & feed times 15 mins later, (eg first feed at 7.15am not 7am).	7.15pm
Friday	Sleep & feed times 30 mins later (eg first feed at 7.30am not 7am).	7.30pm
Saturday	Sleep& feed times 45 mins later (eg first feed at 7.45am not 7am).	7.45pm
Sunday	Wake your child at 7am (new time), then your usual routine times for feeds & sleeps.	7.00pm (new time)

While your little one is getting used to the new time, stick to your usual bedtime rules and behaviours. For example if your toddler usually can go to sleep by himself, avoid lying down with him or letting him sleep in your bed. A week of different bedtime routine while adjusting to Daylight Saving could be long enough to build a new habit, which you then need to deal with. Also, kids sense morning like sharks smell blood. The tiniest crack of daylight can wake even the hardest young sleeper. As another trick to help you in this adapting process, keep it dark in your child's room as it will encourage more sleep in the morning. Something you'll want all year round, really.

Make sure you put your clock back on Saturday night before you go to bed and do not forget to check your smoke alarms at the same time.