It’s only 60 minutes, but Daylight Saving Time can rock a child’s world. That means it rocks OUR world too, mom! About ¼ of the world observes Daylight Saving Time (that’s right – no “s” on the end of Saving), so the slight change hits ALOT of the world! Not everyone is a fan of the time change. Even in my country, Hawaii and Arizona don’t play along, but most states do.
In 2015 Daylight Saving Time begins Sunday, March 8 as we move our clocks forward an hour, and it ends Sunday, November 1st (Fall BACK, Spring FORWARD). Because our bodies are geared to wake and sleep according to natural light, the sudden change on the clock can take its toll on both grown ups and kids. The seismic sleep shift sometimes rattles a child’s appetite, mood, and attention span. Some kids find it hard to fall asleep at their regular bedtime. Does the change throw your family off?
I’ve experimented with different approaches over the years, finding that the only guaranteed way to avoid the adjustment would be to move to Arizona! So, if you’re dreading the loss of a precious hour of sleep this weekend, let me share some tips to make the shock a little more gentle.
5 Tips for Kids and Daylight Saving Time
- Resist delaying bedtimes or wake up times; it’s better to shift to the new time.
- Keep your routine normal during daylight hours.
- Expose your child to bright light during the day to help wake up the body clock.
- Take a nap, but not too close to bedtime.
- Start earlier, maybe on Saturday night (not a school night). You could even shift 15 minutes per night, starting Thursday.
We don’t want our children to be sleep deprived. After all, a sleep deprived child makes for a sleep deprived mom. Grown ups need between 7 and 9 hours, so our lack of sleep shows up immediately if we don’t get the zzzz’s we need.
If you live where Daylight Saving Time reigns, keep your sleepy eyes fixed on the important gift of rest. Adequate rest blesses our bodies and minds with the chance to recharge, recover, and restore from the day of work. Don’t stress about the change thrust upon us by 3 little words on a calendar square: “Daylight Saving Time.” After all, “It is in vain that you rise up early and go late to rest, eating the bread of anxious toil; for he gives to his beloved sleep.” (Psalm 127:2)
So take heart friends, and take a nap! In a few days or maybe a week, our body clocks will reset, and our kids will be back to that all important good night’s sleep!
[Tweet “5 Tips for Kids and #DaylightSavingTime” Sleep well #mom!]
Do your children struggle with Daylight Saving Time? Does Daylight Saving Time mess with your internal clock?
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