Time to change the clocks!
People without kiddos are looking forward to that “extra” hour of sleep…..but parents of young kids are dreading the extra early wake up!
If you child already wakes early (earlier than 6am) Here is an article to help you figure out why!
But back to the time change……
How do we prepare!
Here are some options! Choose whichever one will work best for you!
1.You can slowly adjust a few days before. About three or four days before the time change, move your child’s entire routine (sleep, meals, wake up time, and playtime) ahead by 15 minutes, and continue that each day. Then when the time change hits, you are only off by about 15 minutes!
2. You can slowly adjust after the time change. So this is the first option, just reversed! We all have internal clocks that are set by the sun and secondarily set by things we do throughout the day, such as eating. They should be on schedule after a week.
3. Cold turkey! As soon as the time change happens, move right over to local time. I tend to do this method with my kiddos, now that they are a bit older!
Here are a few more tips to help you make the transition.
Walkin on Sunshine! Sunshine is going to be your best friend during this time change. Did you know that our body clocks are set by the sun? Well, they are! So on Sunday Nov. 5th, plan a fun filled day outside. Meet all your friends for a picnic and hike. The more sun you get, the quicker your clock will re set!
Proper Schedule. Make sure that your child has an age appropriate schedule. If your child is waking too early, napping at odd times or going to bed too late, the time change will just make these things worse. There is no time like the present to get these things in order. A well rested child can handle minor changes in schedule much better than an over tired one!
Environment is Key! Even though it is going to be getting darker earlier, it is still helpful to make sure that you have a proper sleep environment. Get your child’s room as dark as you possibly can and use white noise or a sound machine to help drown out any outside noises. We all sleep better in a sleep inducing room, right?
And finally, just remember that it can take a few days to adjust! These tips work great for adults as well. So don’t dread it, just go with it and enjoy your fall! I hope to Meet you all in Dreamland!
This is great advice thanks