Daylight Savings Ends Sunday November 5 2023

DAYLIGHT SAVINGS ENDS

Just as the scary season ends for your children, another one begins for us parents.  Tip toeing quietly behind us and ready to pounce, here comes the time change….again! 

It seems like there is always something happening that throws another hurdle at our parenting endeavors. As if parenting isn’t difficult enough, let’s throw a big schedule change into the mix!!!

During the first few weeks of life, we wait and try to shift our babies from being cute little vampires that sleep all day and feed all night. Then it’s time for the much awaited melatonin production to kick in post 3 months.  After the infamous sleep regression at 4 months, we finally benefit from babies that sleep a little deeper and longer.  Then the magic of our baby safely rolling onto their tummy for sleep, ah bliss. 

Then this awful Daylight Savings Ending malarkey comes along. This creates a fine mess of cranky parents, parenting cranky kids!  

Babies and toddlers just know what their body is telling them.  Their need to be awake, fed or sleeping is because of their biological clock, not because of what some clock is telling them. 

It is nice to gain extra hour in bed but if you’re a parent that may feel like an early April Fool’s joke! 

Dealing with the clocks changing may feel like jet lag! 

Research studies show that our bodies adjust better to going back in time, rather than going forward in time. If you were flying long distance, your body has a more difficult time flying east (forward in time) than when it is flying west (back in time.)

If your child typically sleeps well and doesn’t have a negative reaction to change, then go with the flow. Their new schedule will sort itself out within 1-3 days. 

If your child doesn’t sleep too well, doesn’t react well to change or wakes early then preparing for the time change will help shift their biological clocks. 

TO FALL BACK, WE SHIFT OUR SCHEDULE FORWARD in preparation for Sunday November 5 2023. 

Example: Toddler 1 nap schedule 

Wednesday 1//Regular schedule

Wake-up 7:00 am  Nap 1:00 pm                  Bedtime 7:30 pm

Thursday November 2

Wake -up 7:15 am          Nap 1:15 pm                  Bedtime 7:45 pm

Friday November 3

Wake -up 7:30 am          Nap 1:30 pm                  Bedtime 8:00 pm

Saturday November 4

Wake -up 7:45 am          Nap 1:45 pm                  Bedtime 8:15 pm

Sunday November 5/New adjusted time

Wake up 7:00 am  Nap 1:00 pm                  Bedtime 7:30 pm

Regardless of what you do in preparation for it, there will still be an adjustment.  Expect some crankiness, whether it is yourself or child.  The darkness of the seasons is known for a time to focus inward and care for yourself.  So do just that, do it with genuine care. 

Suggestions: 

Also include their meals and activities to shift forward as you prepare for the time change. 

Vitamin D is your friend!  Get outside and let the sunshine naturally shift your clock.  An evening walk is also helpful. 

Do less, during this week.  Postpone plans until the next week so you’re not loading and unloading a car full of grumpy children. 

Do you prefer the clock to shift forward or back by 1 hour? 

Let’s connect! I’d love to help you figure out a sleep schedule that works best for your little one! 

https://ihelpmoms.com/consultants/consultant/551/joan-sleepytime