It's that time of year... The leaves are changing. It's becoming brisk and cool outside. Warm apple cider. Apple orchards. Holidays coming up.
And our favorite holiday of all: Daylight Saving Time Change Day- said no parent ever.
But don't panic. We've done it before, and we will get through it again. Together.
Daylight Saving in the Fall means that the clocks go back, so 6pm feels like 7pm- awesome, we love an early bedtime and a solid evening being able to watch Netflix in front of the fire while our kiddos are sleeping.
But the shift goes both ways... so 5am feels like 6am... And this is where we have trouble.
It's at this point that we miss the simplicity of Spring Forward, the easier of the 2 Daylight Saving shifts... but luckily we only have to do this one once a year- so let's jump in!
First of all, DON’T PANIC. Daylight Saving is not until November 3rd, so we have time to prepare, and I honestly must recommend preparing for this one unless you don’t mind dealing with kiddos waking up in the 5 o'clock hour…
So here are three options to consider for your prep…
Option 1: The Long Game, 1 week, 15 minute shift
*This option is best for our sensitive sleepers, those sleepers who don’t tolerate change in their schedule very well. Also great for parents who don’t like change, and really like to get ahead of things… like myself.
Here is your schedule:
October 27th & 28th: Move all naps and bedtime 15 minutes later. Do not respond in the morning until 15 minutes after normal wake time.
October 29th & October 30th: Move all naps and bedtime 30 minutes later. Do not respond in the morning until 30 minutes after normal wake time.
October 31st & November 1st: Move all naps and bedtime 45 minutes later. Do not respond in the morning until 45 minutes after normal wake time. This will actually make a good excuse to stay out a bit later on Halloween!
November 2nd: Move all naps and bedtime 60 minutes later. Respond at ‘new' normal wake time when they wake on November 3rd and continue with your day back on your normal schedule. Stop thinking about the 'old time' and just be on your normal schedule.
Option 2: Middle of the Road, 4 day, 15 minute shift
*This option is best for children who respond pretty well to change. This would also be a great option for children who respond well to change, but are dealing with early wakes.
Here is your schedule:
October 30th: Move all naps and bedtime 15 minutes later. Do not respond in the morning until 15 minutes after normal wake time.
October 31st: Move all naps and bedtime 30 minutes later. Do not respond in the morning until 30 minutes after normal wake time.
November 1st: Move all naps and bedtime 45 minutes later. Do not respond in the morning until 45 minutes after normal wake time.
November 2nd: Move all naps and bedtime 60 minutes later. Respond at 'new' normal wake time when they wake on November 3rd and continue with your day back on your normal schedule.
Option 3: 2 day, 30 minute shift
*This option is best for our very flexible sleepers. Those who do not struggle with early wakes and tend to be able to really go with the flow with their sleep. This will sometimes be the only option for those of us who cannot shift our mornings due to school/work schedules.
Here is your schedule:
November 1st: Move all naps and bedtime 30 minutes later. Do not respond in the morning until 30 minutes after normal wake time.
November 2nd: Move all naps and bedtime 60 minutes later. Respond at ‘new' normal wake time when they wake on November 3rd and continue with your day back on your normal schedule.
Bonus Option: HELP! I FORGOT ABOUT DLS.
*This option is for those of us who totally forgot about Daylight Saving and just woke up wondering why their kids are up so dang early and frantically started searching for a blog- I’ve been there.
If you have the time and can shift your child’s schedule back by 15 minutes/30 minutes each day for a couple of days- then GREAT! Follow one of the schedules above, but backwards:
November 3rd & 4th: Shift all naps and EARLIER by 45 minutes- aka, if that typically go down for nap at 12:30, then nap can begin at 11:45… Same with bedtime.
November 5th & 6th: Shift all naps EARLIER by 30 minutes.
November 7th: Shift all naps EARLIER by 15 minutes
November 8th: Follow your previous schedule
If this is not an option for you because of work, daytime activities etc… then we just go with the new timings of things and know that it will take a moment to settle in. It's not an emergency.
If you are needing to make the change cold turkey, the key to tackling this transition after the fact is to move your child’s whole schedule- do not offer early naps- they must push through to their normal timing to get back on track.
Also, do not respond in the morning until a suitable wake time for them, most likely after 6am, but if you know they typically sleep until 6:30 or 7 then you can choose those times as well.
The key is to be consistent with the new timings so that there is no choice but to adjust, and adjust they will- patience and consistency are key!
And two reminders:
-DON’T PANIC. It’s okay. We have done it before and we will do it again.
-Remember that putting your child to bed ‘later’ does not mean they will wake up later… they will more than likely wake up at their normal time, or if they are overtired, EARLIER- so I would really recommend some sort of prep leading up to the time change.
What questions do you have? Reach out! I'm here to help you navigate these moments with ease and confidence.
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