Ah, Daylight Savings Time. Pre-kids, you probably didn’t mind it so much. Maybe it was a minor annoyance or a passing fancy.
But as a parent, you likely dread this day and dislike it with the fire of 1,000 suns. If you have small children, Daylight Savings Time is when they awaken at an unnatural hour, demanding attention, food and fun.
So fire up the coffee pot and pull up a chair. Here is a parent’s survival guide to Daylight Savings Time. This year, it begins at 2 a.m. on Sunday, March 11, 2018. Have fun springing forward with your bright-eyed and bushy tailed offspring!
Blackout curtains
If you haven’t invested in these yet, what are you waiting for? We don’t know how well they will work with your child, but keeping their room as dark as possible for as long as possible can’t hurt, right? You’ll use them all summer, until Daylight Savings Time ends in November, too.
Stick with your routine
You’ve probably heard the saying, “Sleep begets sleep,” right? You know what your child’s bedtime routine is and how to get him or her to sleep, so stick with it. Even if it is chaos for a few days, by sticking with a routine, you’ll get your child back on track.
Talk about it
This one is for older kids. Tell them about the time change and what it will likely mean. Explain that sleep is still very important and that you want to help him or her get enough rest. Sometimes, all it takes with an older child is understanding what is happening and how it will be addressed by mom and dad.
Pack your patience
Even with preparing and talking about it, some kids just have a rough time adjusting to a new routine and time change. It might take a week or so to adapt to the new time, so pack your patience. Make the week after Daylight Savings Time low-key if you can. Don’t plan too many activities or a vacation. Hopefully, with the changing seasons and longer daylight hours, you can get outside and enjoy some fresh air.
Everything Birth
At Everything Birth, we are excited to celebrate spring with you and your family!