Helping Kids Adjust to the End of Daylight Saving


Adjusting to the end of daylight saving time is hard enough for adults, let alone children and babies. The change to their body clock, and the fact that it can be harder to sleep in the morning when it’s light outside can result in overtired wee ones…and parents!

Louise Tanguay, child sleep expert from The Sleep Store, has some tips for making the transition out of daylight saving time smooth for the whole household.

Light and Dark:
If your child is sensitive to light or you find they are used to sleeping when it’s dark, then investing in a blackout blind will make the change to daylight savings go much more smoothly. When the clocks go back next week, bedrooms will be much lighter in the morning, which means children will often think it’s time to get up at 6am rather than their usual 7am.

We recommend Lights Out Blinds, as they easily suction onto windows in just one place, and can be easily put on and taken off when needed. The darkness will keep your tots in bed for a little longer this autumn!

Routine:
Transition at the end of daylight saving is far easier if your baby is in a routine. If you ensure their sleeping routine is regular in the lead-up to the time change, the transition will be much easier. There’s still time to get into a routine – just make sure they have a consistent bedtime for the next few days.

Consistency:
While your rug rats are getting used to the new time, stick to your usual bedtime rules and behaviours. For example, if your toddler can usually go to sleep by himself, avoid lying down with him or letting him sleep in your bed. A week of a different bedtime routine while adjusting to daylight saving changes could be enough to build a new habit, which will be more work to deal with later. Keep consistent, and they should adjust quickly.

Is It Morning Yet?
Children often find daylight saving changes confusing, as they’re used to relying on cues such as whether it’s light outside or not. Autumn’s lighter mornings in particular can mean children are up with the birds!

A Sleep Trainer Clock is a helpful tool for trainings kids about when to get up. With the Gro Clock, the stars come out at the bedtime you set, and the sun comes up at the get-up time you set! So if your little one wakes up at the crack of dawn, but sees stars on their clock – they will know that it’s not yet time to get out of bed.

Here’s a helpful chart for adjusting kids to the time change:

Day Routine during the day Bedtime
Wednesday 3rd April Usual sleep & feed times 7.00pm
Thursday 4th April Sleep & feed times 15 mins later (e.g. first feed at 7.15am, not 7am) 7.15pm
Friday 5th April Sleep & feed times 30 mins later (e.g. first feed at 7.30am, not 7am) 7.30pm
Saturday 6th April Sleep & feed times 45 mins later (e.g. first feed at 7.45am, not 7am) 7.45pm
Sunday 7th April Wake your child at 7am (new time), then your usual routine times for feeds & sleeps 7.00pm new time

Put your clock back on Saturday night before you go to bed, and remember to check your smoke alarms at the same time!

For more sleep advice, or to find helpful products to make the daylight saving change easier for your family, visit www.thesleepstore.co.nz

ENDS

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