Three Steps to an Easier Spring Forward

WRITTEN BY MYRA HARTZHEIM

It’s time to enjoy spring…just as soon as we get past the dreaded daylight saving time change. Nobody likes losing an entire hour of sleep; it’s hard on everyone, especially a growing child. Here is an approach to daylight saving time that will help your family transition with ease.

The three-step process in a nutshell:

» STEP 1: Choose the time frame and increments of time you want to use with your child leading up to the time change.

» STEP 2: Begin by waking your child up earlier each day according to the increments you chose leading up to the time change.

» STEP 3: Put your child down earlier for naps and bedtime in tandem with the earlier rising time.

Let’s discuss the three steps more in-depth:

» STEP 1: Choosing an increment of time. Instead of changing by a full hour cold turkey, you can choose 30-, 20-, 15- or 10-minute increments depending upon how sensitive your child is and how long you want the shifting process to take. For example: If you want the process to take about a week, 10-minute daily increments would work well. If you want the process to happen after the school week, 30- or 20-minute increments over the weekend would work well.

*Note: If your child’s bedtime is irregular, and your child is experiencing early rising (waking for the day earlier than 6 a.m.), daylight saving is an excellent opportunity to begin creating a consistent sleep time for your child. I encourage you to start putting your child to sleep earlier. You may begin noticing your child sleeping later. If so, stick to the earlier bedtime – your child needs it!

» STEP 2: For families with consistent bedtimes and desirable rising times: Wake your child up earlier each day according to the increment of time (30, 20, or 10 minutes) you want to shift leading up to the time change.

» STEP 3: In tandem with the earlier rising, put your child down earlier for naps (if your child is napping) and move bedtime earlier with the time shift you chose. Move meal times and any set active or social times along with the time shift you chose.

For example: If you’ve woken your child up 10 minutes earlier in the morning, you would put your child down for a nap 10 minutes earlier as well. Bedtime routine and lights out would be 10 minutes earlier as well.

Unfortunately, changing your child’s sleep times by an hour will cause dysregulation and make them feel a bit off. A child who feels dysregulated will also often show this in his behavior as well. It’s OK!

It is normal and healthy to feel off while adjusting to a new rhythm. Daylight saving time is essentially causing jet-lag for us all, and it takes time for our bodies to readjust. Give your child and yourself grace during this time. Everyone should begin to feel normal again, a week or two after the time change.