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Thank you to Jamie for providing these tips for the families here at Play On Pediatric Therapy.
by : Jamie Contarini, Sleep Consultant
Soon we “fall back” and turn our clocks back one hour to mark the end of daylight savings time. I used to love this weekend – having one extra hour of sleep… but kids don’t always get the same message, and if you have early risers now, this could mean even earlier rising. How can you help your family through this change? You have a couple options and no matter which approach you take, you will make it through!
If you have a sensitive sleeper; if you have noticed that being off schedule, or keeping them up late results in early rising, then I would take this approach.
Shift your schedule slowly by moving things later by 15 minutes every 2 days, starting on the Sunday before the time change, and then wake up with the new clock on the morning of the new clock.. The goal is to get them closer to the time it will be when you “fall back”. When you turn your clocks back, nap time will feel like it’s an hour later to your child but by adjusting slowly for a few days, your baby will have started to move towards the new schedule. Here is what it will look like:
Sunday: push bedtime 15 minutes later than your regular schedule
Monday: if you can, get them up in the morning 15 minutes later, and shift the full day later – so naps and bedtime. *If you can only push bedtime, do it.
Tuesday/Wednesday: push bedtime 30 mins later
Thursday/Friday: push bedtime 45 mins later
Sunday you will use the new clock and go back to your original schedule.
The second approach is to change your clocks before you go to bed on Saturday, then wake up with the new clock on Sunday. Start your day at your regular time in the morning on the new clock. For example, if your baby wakes at 6:30am then get them up at 6:30am on the new clock You might find that your child is awake and hanging out before you get them in the morning, and it might take a little longer to fall asleep at nap and bedtime but they will adjust in a few days.
It could take a few days after the official time change for everything to fall into place. If you find that your child is waking before 6:00am, then make bedtime earlier when you can. Shifting bedtime earlier by 15-30 minutes for 3-7 days will help to push out the early mornings.
Remember that all babies and children are different and will respond to the end of daylight savings time differently. The key is to be consistent with your schedule, keep the room dark and cool during sleep times and your little one will adjust.
Jamie is a certified Family Sleep Institute Sleep Consultant with Good Night Sleep Site. Proud Mama of two kids. Jamie realized that her interest in helping change some of her son’s sleep habits actually turned into a passion and she happily joined the Good Night team with her mission being to help families succeed as she did. Jamie has been helping families around the world for ten years.
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