How to Help Your Child Adjust to Daylight Saving Times without losing sleep
It's that time of year again—Daylight Saving Time (DST) begins on March 10th, meaning we’ll be “springing forward” and losing an hour of sleep. If you’re worried about how this shift will affect your little one’s sleep schedule, don’t stress! With the right approach, you can help your child adjust smoothly, making the transition feel as natural as the changing seasons.
And if you’re the parent of an early riser, this could be your golden opportunity to encourage a later wake-up time! 🌞 Get those tips here →
Step-by-Step Guide to a Stress-Free Time Change
1
Sunday Morning: Keep Sunday Morning Business As Usual
Yes, you read that right. No need to change the clocks on Saturday night. Instead, start your Sunday just as you normally would—coffee in hand, kids waking up at their usual time—then adjust your clocks later in the day. This subtle shift can make the transition feel a little less jarring for the whole family.
2
Sunday Evening: Use The "Halfsies" Method to Shift Bedtime Gradually
Rather than jumping straight into the new time, ease your child into it with a 30-minute bedtime shift over four nights. This approach prevents overtiredness and helps their internal clock adjust more naturally.
How IT WORKS
If your child's usual bedtime is 7:00 PM, you'll aim for 7:30 PM from Sunday to Wednesday. This slight adjustment helps their body clock gradually adapt to the new time, making the return to a 7:00 PM bedtime on Thursday feel natural.
Example:
Regular Bedtime: 7:00 PM
Bedtime for 4 days [Sunday - Wednesday]: 7:30 PM
This will “feel” like it is a half-hour earlier than the normal bedtime to your child, since the clocks have moved forward 1 hour.Bedtime on 5th day [Thursday]: 7:00 PM
This will “feel” like it is another half-hour earlier than the bedtime at which your child’s been going to sleep. But after a few days, your child will become adjusted to their normal schedule again in the new Daylight Savings Time.
3
Nap Adjustments: Apply the Same Strategy to Naps, Too!
(Use Wake Windows Where Necessary)
Daytime sleep matters too! Use the same 30-minute gradual shift for naps to keep everything in sync.
How it works:
If the first nap is usually at 10:00 AM, shift it to 10:30 AM for the first four days post-time change. Depending on your child's wake windows, adjust subsequent naps similarly. By Thursday, revert to the regular nap schedule.
EXAMPLE:
Regular 1st Nap Time: 10:00 AM
1st Naptime for 4 days [Sunday - Wednesday]:
Wake Window Schedule: 10:30 AM + follow wake windows after this nap
2-Nap Schedule: 10:30 AM + second nap moves later by 30 MINS
1st Naptime on 5th day [Thursday]: 10:00 AM
Key Takeaways for a Smooth Transition
✔ Start Sunday morning as usual—no immediate clock change needed!
✔ Gradually shift bedtime and naps by 30 minutes for four nights.
✔ Be patient! It may take a week or two for your child’s body clock to fully adjust.
With a little planning and consistency, you can help your child ease into the new schedule without major sleep disruptions. And before you know it, you’ll be enjoying longer days, warmer evenings, and—fingers crossed—well-rested little ones!
