Did the time change sneak up on anyone else? It’s this weekend! Set the clocks forward one hour at 2am on Sunday, March 8.
We’re cutting it close, but here are some tips for trying to make the change as seamless as possible for the little ones in your life.
by Jenna Morton
The Gradual Change
Three days before the change (on Thursday), move your little one's schedule back by 15 minutes. Wake up 15 minutes earlier. Start nap time 15 minutes earlier. Bedtime 15 minutes earlier.
Two days before the change (on Friday), move the schedule back by another 15 minutes. Instead of waking at 7am, get up at 6:30am. Bedtime starts at 6:30pm, rather than 7pm.
The day before (on Saturday), add another 15 minutes so that everything is starting 45 minutes earlier than usual.
Then Ta-Da! It's time change day and you’re right on schedule again! (In theory, at least; we make no promises. And we thank Jamie Contarini, Certified Sleep Consultant, and our pals at momstown Burlington for sharing this method.)
Split the Difference
So, maybe you weren't organized enough to start the 15-minute trick three days before. Maybe it just didn't fit your schedule.
Starting on the day of the time change, adjust nap and bedtime by half an hour (bedtime at 6:30pm instead of 7pm, for example; it’s a half hour early on the clock, but will feel like a half hour later to the kids). Stick with this for three days. On the fourth day, move to the correct time on the clock again.
Tips
If you're dealing with a baby who wakes on their own, don't rush to get them when they wake. They'll likely be waking based on the 'old' time; waiting even 10 minutes to go get them can help send the message to start adjusting their internal clock.
If you've got a toddler who is getting up earlier than you want, try putting a digital clock in their room – but cover the minute numerals. Too many numbers get confusing, but if they can tell 6 from 7, they can know when it's okay to wake up.
(These tips were found on Wee Ones Sleep Solutions blog, a Moncton-based sleep consultant.)
The Saving Grace
According to sleep consultant Alanna McGinn, the Spring time change isn't as disruptive as in the Fall, so many kids will adjust without any tricks. Wake the kids up the usual time on Sunday and just go with the flow, keeping your usual nap and bedtimes. Everyone will likely be right on track by the end of the week.
And remember – this is one more sign we're closer to Spring and the end of these cold, snowy days!
