Fall is one of my favorite seasons! (said every basic b***h ever lol) The air is crisp, and we can finally hide behind our chunky sweaters and pumpkin beverages. However, this also means that daylight savings time is ending, and the sun is going down a lot sooner than we’d like. A lot of parents dread this time change because that already early wake-up of 7 AM just turned into 6 AM, and that is just NOT the vibe. However, just because the time is falling back doesn’t mean your schedule has to! In this blog, I’ll share some tips for how you can survive the time change and get back to your regularly scheduled programming in just 3 short days.
Adjusting the house and body clocks
Some people choose to change their clocks the night before, so when they wake up, all of the clocks say the right time. I, personally, recommend leaving them until Sunday morning, so that when everyone is going to bed Saturday night, it is the “correct time”. Then on Sunday morning, wake up, go about your morning routine, then push the time back. It will mentally feel much better for everyone! Plus, it can be a fun little activity for families with older children to have them change the clocks in their own rooms, or have everyone sync the clocks at the same time.
When it comes to helping your children adjust to the new time change, start by splitting the difference between the old time and the new time (30-minutes). For example, if you have a toddler (aged 1 or older), on a 1 nap schedule, you would put them down for their first nap 30-minutes earlier than usual, because it will feel like 30-minutes later to them vs an entire hour. So, if they typically have a nap at 12:30 pm, you would put them down at 12:00 pm. Do this for 4 days, then on the 5th day, push them up to that normal 12:30 pm nap time. You will then want to follow suit for bedtime. So, if their bedtime is usually 7:00 pm, you would put them down at 6:30 pm every night for 3 nights. Then, on the 4th night, you would put them down at their regular 7:00 pm bedtime. If you have a child who no longer takes naps, then you would do the same thing with bedtime, and make it 30 minutes earlier than the normal time for those first 3 nights.
If you have an infant who takes 2-3 naps a day, you will do the same. If they typically take their first nap at 10:00 am, you would make it 30-minutes earlier and put them down at 9:30 am. You’ll then do the same with the other 1 or 2 naps and bedtime for the first three days, then adjust it back to the regular time on the 4th day.
When it comes to newborns and some infants with unpredictable bedtimes (some up to 6 months), you will simply jump to the new time on Sunday night, and put them down when it is time for bed based on their schedule that day. The most important thing you should continue doing with newborns and infants under 6 months is to watch their wake windows starting from the time they woke up.
I have also included a little chart below for my fellow Type-A parents!
Doing it this way allows for a lot less stress leading up to the day, and also helps to adjust your child’s body clock slowly and efficiently to avoid confusion as well as any over or under-tiredness.
Stimulate the Brain After the Sun Goes Down
Our body clocks tend to regulate with the rising and falling of the sun. Now that the sun is setting much sooner, you’ll find that your little ones (and maybe even you) are feeling a little more cranky and sleepy after the sun goes down. Getting outside during the day to get that daily dose of serotonin and fresh air helps A LOT especially when it starts getting dark at 4:30, and that late afternoon walk just isn’t feasible. If you’re stuck indoors, try some stimulating activities like playing with water (such as an afternoon bath, or a water sensory bucket), or finger paints!
I know this time change is tough on both parents and children, but be sure to follow my tips and in just 3-days time everything will be back to normal!