One of my favorite times - warmer days, more sunlight and closer to my favorite season: Summer!
Having kids means we have to think about their schedule too as we lose an hour of sleep! Read more about daylight savings time and what your options are to make it a smooth transition.
Sunday March 11, 2023, 2 am, your standard time, from here on in I stress about the change. (I love RENT, and Anthony Rapp and broadway and the many times I was fortunate enough to see RENT on broadway but I digress)
Daylight savings time, pre kids it was a carefree time, I didn't even think about it unless I had to work the next morning - in a former life, my husband and I owned restaurants. After my first was born, I read all about it, spring was our first time change, she was 4 months and was not sleeping through the night. I decided not to change anything, I figured she was so young, what difference would an hour make? Success!
I remember the stress though. The "what ifs", the thought of less sleep as an already sleep deprived new mom. I remember all the late night research. I remember talking to friends and family who had kids, asking what they did. I remember going down the google rabbit hole. My husband used to joke that I was never allowed to google anything related to our daughter after a panic moment of a "rash and fever", which was not a rash nor a fever lol.
If this blog can give you anything, it's options. Options of what you can do or do nothing. You need to remember this is a moment in time. There is no "best" option. The only "best" option is the one that works best for YOUR family!
Here are 3 options when it comes to daylight savings time.
Option #1 - Do nothing
Yep, you heard me! Do. Nothing. This is my preferred method. I would rather adjust naps for a day or two than slowly change my children's schedule. With 4 kids, in school and some activities, our weeks are busy enough to worry about gradually changing their bedtime hoping for a normal Sunday morning.
With this option, you do need to adjust naps based on wake times for children under 12 months. For over 12 months, you can keep their normal clock nap schedule.
Option #2 - Gradually shift their schedule, starting one week prior
Starting on Sunday night (March 5, 2023) adjust their bedtime by 10 minutes earlier. Each day, you will also adjust each nap 10 minutes earlier which means you will also wake your child 10 minutes earlier. Each day and night, adjust their schedule 10 minutes earlier until on Saturday night, they are going to bed almost1 hour earlier than their normal bedtime.
Waking up earlier for a few days may be hard. Who wants to wake a child earlier and earlier each morning. This gradual shift will help keep them on their normal schedule so it will seem as if nothing changed.
| Monday | Tuesday | Wednesday | Thursday | Friday | Saturday | Sunday |
wake | 6:20am | 6:10am | 6:00am | 5:50am | 5:40am | 5:30am | 6:30am |
bedtime | 7:20pm | 7:10pm | 7:00pm | 6:50pm | 6:40pm | 6:30pm | 7:30pm |
With this option, you need to be committed to adjusting every day. The point is to gradually adjust.
Option #3 - Adjust 3 days before
Adjusting 3 days before is a great option for those who want to adjust before but don't want to spend a whole week adjusting their child's schedule. Here you will adjust by 20 minutes each day, an expedited option 2.
You will also adjust naps 20 minutes earlier each day.
| Thursday | Friday | Saturday | Sunday |
wake | 6:10am | 5:50am | 5:30am | 6:30am |
bed | 7:10pm | 6:50pm | 6:30pm | 7:30pm |
With this option, you need to be committed to adjusting for the 3 days. The point is to start your week with their old schedule
Bonus Tip:
This is a great time to adjust your child's schedule if you have been having trouble with it! Is your child waking early, don't adjust anything, let them sleep until they wake up - ideally later - and that is their new wake time! Spring daylight savings is my favorite because it can help early morning wakes! I also love it because after dinner walks is my preferred way to get some extra fresh air for our kids before bed (and reduce screen time!)
If you are struggling with your child's schedule, let me help!
Adjusting your child's schedule can be extremely stressful, especially when they aren't good sleepers. One of the many ways I help you with sleep is helping you adjust your child's schedule to their individual needs! You don't need to wait until the time change to get the process started! I'd love to chat with you!
Book a free sleep assessment call with me here and let's talk about your child as an individual and their struggles, your goals and how my 3 week, one-on-one, program will help your house! Let's make your house, a Restful Haus.
Wishing you restful sleep,
xo Danielle
About Danielle: Danielle is a Certified Pediatric Sleep Coach and founder of The Restful Haus, where she helps families 1:1 with their children ages 0 - 6 years old. She is a New Jersey native and currently resides in Colorado with her husband and 4 daughters (ranging from 21 months to 7 years old). She enjoys spending time with her family, the Jersey Shore, music, traveling with her husband + kiddos and on the rare occasion, sitting down to read a murder mystery book.