Spring Ahead and survive the start of daylight savings, with your little one, with these simple adjustments.
FINALLY! The weather is getting warmer, the days are getting longer, and summer is that much closer! If you’re a warm weather girl like me, then I know you’re HYPE for the season change. What you’re probably not hyped about is the impact the time change could have on your little one’s sleep. But fear not, because I have a plan! There are a few things you can do to help make the transition to the new time go a little smoother.
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 be 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 up. It will mentally feel much better for everyone. Trying to synchronize all the clocks at once can even be a fun little activity for you parents with older children!
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. 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 later than usual. So, if they typically have a nap at 12:30pm, you would put them down at 1:00pm. Do this for 3 days, then on the 4th day, bring them back to that normal 12:30pm nap time. You will then want to follow suit for bedtime. So, if their bedtime is usually 7:00pm, you would put them down at 7:30pm every night for 3 nights. Then, on the 4th night, you would put them down at their normal 7:00 bedtime. If you have a child who no longer takes naps, then you would just do the same thing with bedtime, and push it out 30 minutes from the normal time for those first 3 nights.
You would do the same for your infant who is on a 3 or 2 nap schedule. If they typically take their first nap at 10:00am, you would push it to 10:30am, then do the same with the other naps for the first three days, then adjust it back to the regular time on the 4th day.
When it comes to newborns they do not have a “body clock”, so the time change will not affect them. You will simply just jump to the new time on Sunday, and put them down when it is time for bed based on their schedule that day.
I have also included a chart below to help give you type-a’ers a visual!
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 and any over or under-tired-ness. Remember, we’re springing forward which means more sun and serotonin for all!!!
But what if I am at the mercy of my child’s school/daycare schedule? What then?
Since I have my own child in school and am at the mercy of their nap schedule, I understand the struggle! You can approach this one of two ways:
Option 1: Starting on the Saturday before daylight savings, wake them up a half hour earlier than they typically get up, and then put them down for their nap(s) 30 minutes earlier than usual. Do this again on Sunday of daylight savings, and then transition back to their normal schedule/times on Monday to go to school.
Option 2: Cold turkey! If you have a child who’s pretty resilient when it comes to sleep (or you simply do not have a choice), you will wake your child at their typical time on Monday morning and proceed with their schedule right off the bat. It still may take a few days for them to get adjusted, and you may deal with some overtired-ness, but keeping consistency in your routines and boundaries, and approaching any regressions or regressive behavior with confidence and consistency will help get you through!