4 Tips to Help Your Child Adjust to Time Change

Warmer weather is exciting but the time change can wreak havoc on our schedules.

For our littles, heck for me too, a small change can really impact sleep. Here are my 4 tips to ease the transition:

Tip #1: Start Small

Adjust your child’s bedtime by 10-15 minutes a day until you get to the 1 hour time change. Making daily small changes like this aren’t as big a shock to the system. Start four days ahead of the time change, move bedtime (and naptime if applicable) 15 minutes earlier each day.

Example

Night 1: 7:45pm bedtime (instead of 8pm)

Night 2: 7:30pm bedtime

Night 3: 7:15pm bedtime

Night 4: 7:00pm bedtime

Night 5: Daylight savings!

Be ready for some protest. Remember your job is to empathize with their feelings while holding the boundary.

Remember the daylight savings phase is hard but it is temporary and you will get through it.

Tip #2: Create Darkness

Though I love the earlier sun shining into the bedroom, it signals to the body it is time to wake up and that may be much earlier than you are ready to have the kiddos running around the house.

Melatonin, which helps induce sleep, increases in the evening. Trying to create more darkness in their bedroom before bed, helps to induce sleep. This will work as mantra for child where investing in black out curtains can help and same for morning when the sun is shining earlier than we would like for them to wake up.

Tip #3: Stick to a Routine

I am a big believer in routines. Sticking with a bedtime and a morning routine, helps kids adjust to change.

Tip #4: Be Understanding

I am a sleepy monster when I am not rested. Kids are no different. So if their sleep is disrupted, you have to expect some more challenging behavour. Be understanding of it and make sure you are fitting in enough quiet time, like reading, to help.

Bring on the warmer weather!!