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!