Daylight savings time ends this weekend, so don’t forget to set your clocks back one hour. For many parents this can be a stressful time because it interrupts their child’s sleep routine. Here are some tips for getting your child back on track.
Adjust sleep times. On Sunday, adjust your child’s naptime and bedtime by 30 minutes earlier. If your child usually goes to bed at 8:00 p.m., put them to bed at 7:30 p.m. Repeat this on Monday and Tuesday nights. Your child may be more tired going to bed so if they are really overtired adjust by 15 minutes instead of 30 minutes.
Allow more wake up time. If your child usually wakes up at 7:00 a.m. they will more than likely wake up at 6:00 a.m. now. For a couple of mornings give them a little more time to wake up before you go in and get them. This will help them reset their body clock to wake up later.
Use a toddler clock. Toddler clocks are a visual cue for children to know when they should be in bed and when it’s time to get up. They are a great tool for toddlers and preschoolers and can work really well for time changes. For a few days after the time change, set the clock 30 minutes earlier than their regular wake up time and then go back to the normal time. This should help them adjust by the end of the week.
It can take some patience since children do not tend to adapt to time changes as quickly as adults. Being consistent and following these tips can help your family adjust better to the time change.