Psst! Scroll to the very bottom to see my screen grabs for easy reference!

Eeek! Daylight Saving Time is ending, but it doesn't have to feel like the end of the world!

I have 2 different plans of action below to help you survive this time shift:

Psst! Scroll to the very bottom to see my screen grabs for easy reference!

Parents tend to get very stressed out about Daylight Saving Time each year. But the good news is that springing forward is much easier on families than falling back! Yay!

In this quick blog (or episode if you prefer to listen) I walk you through the basics with 3 different approaches you can chose from depending on your unique situation. Don't forget to head to the blog link below and get your screen grabs for easy referencing!

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Option #1 for time change

Who should use this option?

• If morning life for you is pretty laid back and you don't have morning appointments that you need to get up and ready for
• OR if you have a child who is waking earlier than you'd like

This one is real simple. Don't change anything and just let them sleep in on Sunday! I'd still wake them by 8am but otherwise, let them sleep in! (Keep in mind, sleeping until 8am on Sunday will actually feel like 7am to their bodies)

Then go on with your day from there. If you use wake windows, continue to use them like usual. If you have set nap times, you'll need to shift them later according to how late your child slept in the morning. But that's it! Easy breezy!

Option #2 for time change

Who should use this option?

• If you have places to be in the mornings so you can't just let your child sleep in
• Also, if your child doesn't seem to be sensitive to schedule changes
• Or if your child is 18 months or older

This one requires little to no prep. Do everything normally with their schedule leading up to Sunday and the time change. On Sunday, you will wake them up at the usual time (according to the clock). So if morning wake up is usually 7am, you will wake them up at that time- even though to their body, that will really feel like 6am.

Then go about your day like usual. No fuss! Use your usual wake windows or your usual set nap times. *This is what me and my family do!*

Option #3 for time change

Who should use this option?

• If you prefer a more gradual approach to time changes
• If your child is younger
• Or if your child is more sensitive to schedule changes

This is the slightly more gradual approach. We still aren't going to spend a ton of time and energy shifting the schedule because that's honestly just making it more complicated than it needs to be! But we are going to spend 2 days adjusting the schedule to be a bit more gradual.

On Sunday, let your child sleep until 30 minutes later according to the clock. So if your child usually wakes at 6:30am, you will let them sleep until 7am on Sunday. This will make everything on Sunday feel like it's shifted roughly 30 minutes later as well- including bedtime.

Then on Monday, wake your child up at their old, usual wake up time. From my example above, that would be 6:30am. Then the rest of your day will fall into place like your typical daily schedule.

Important Reminder

With the clocks changing, it is going to be light in the evenings at bedtime. You need to ensure your child's room is plenty dark at bedtime. I highly recommend BlackoutEZ Window Covers if you need a better window solution. If you need a cheap, quick fix then aluminum foil works wonders! Tape it up over the windows and it completely blocks out all the light!

Bottom line, we need to block the sun from coming into their room at bedtime or else they may have a harder time falling asleep in the evening.

If you have a toddler or preschooler, you will want to start talking to the now about the time change to prep them. This doesn't need to be a high level conversation but something simple: "Winter is almost over and it's almost spring! Yay! That means the sun will stay out later too."

Then you can have the conversation that even though the sun is out later, it is still bedtime according to the clock. Then hold firm with your boundaries if they struggle to adjust. They will get there!

As parents, we often find ourselves on autopilot during the evening routine, and sometimes our words slip out without much thought. One phrase that many parents commonly use is, “It’s dark outside, so it’s time for bed.” While it might seem like a convenient explanation in the moment, I’m here to tell you why this approach can create more challenges than solutions—especially as we transition into those long summer days.

The problem with associating bedtime with darkness

With the days getting shorter and darker earlier, particularly as the end of daylight savings time approaches, it's tempting to rely on the absence of sunlight as a cue for bedtime. However, this logic can backfire spectacularly come spring and summer when it stays bright outside until almost 9 PM! Imagine your toddler, who has internalized the idea that bedtime is directly linked to darkness, suddenly pushing back against the notion of going to bed while the sun is still shining. This can lead to a long, drawn-out struggle that neither you nor your child wants.

Instead of saying, “It’s dark outside, so it’s bedtime,” try using a more consistent cue: “According to the clock, it’s bedtime.” This way, you’re grounding bedtime in something constant and reliable, rather than something that changes with the seasons.

Setting firm boundaries

Another important aspect of establishing bedtime is shifting away from the mindset of needing to “convince” your child that it’s time to sleep. Think about it this way: when it’s time to buckle them into their car seat, you don’t engage in a negotiation. You calmly say, “It’s time to buckle up,” and if they resist, you hold the boundary. The same goes for turning off screen time; you simply state that tablet time is over and follow through.

When we approach bedtime with uncertainty or a desire to persuade, we can inadvertently undermine our authority and create more pushback rather than less. Instead of feeling like you need to convince your toddler that bedtime is necessary, present it as a straightforward fact. This shift in language can help you reclaim your confidence as the parent and leader of your household.

Save yourself the headache

So, as we settle into this colder, darker season, I encourage you to rethink how you frame bedtime for your toddler. By focusing on consistent cues like the clock, rather than the setting sun, you can establish a smoother, more predictable bedtime routine. This small change could save you from a world of frustration in 6-9 months!

Trust me, I’ve seen this mistake made time and time again—myself included! But with this quick tip, you can confidently set boundaries and make bedtime a smoother experience for everyone involved. Here’s to peaceful nights and a little less drama come summer!

Feeling like you've lost all control at bedtime?

I can help you become the calm, confident leader that your child needs at sleep time. Check out my Toddler & Preschooler Sleep Resources. If you are ready to work with a professional to help you stop second-guessing and to hold you accountable... Here is a link to my scheduler so we can talk through your situation and see if we'd make a good fit to work together. If you are a past client or student, schedule your troubleshooting call here instead!

I recently found Blackout EZ window covers, and they have changed my life! I wish I had known about these things 4 years ago!!In light of this, I thought I would review them and write a post about how incredibly awesome they are.

I would recommend Blackout EZ to just about anyone; not only parents with babies and young children, but also anyone who works night shifts and has to sleep during the day, or anyone who could benefit from sleeping in a totally dark bedroom! 

A big key in maximizing your child's sleep is keeping their sleep area very dark. Any bit of light in the room can inhibit melatonin, which is the hormone that regulates sleep. For this reason, a very dark room produces good sleep! 

Over the years, I have tried different methods of darkening my sons' windows. With my oldest, Ethan, he really only needed two layers of room darkening curtains and he was good to go. As he got older, he needed less and less coverage for his windows.

My youngest, Campbell, proved to be our more sensitive sleeper, and I had to use a combination of construction paper, blankets, and two layers of room darkening curtains in order to make his room dark enough so that he would sleep soundly! Let me show you what an eyesore his windows were! 

Here is my finished product! Let me tell you, after I did both windows in the room, it was pitch black! And now, I have my windows back so I could put up pretty curtains or blinds!

I already had faux wood blinds that I was wanting to put up but couldn't before. Doesn't the finished product look so much nicer?! I am LOVING it! And so is my sleeping Campbell!