TIME CHANGE.

Are you feeling overwhelmed by the Time Change approaching? I remember my first little one’s time change. I was frantically googling WHAT THE HECK DO I DO!! If this is you, take a deep breath, grab a coffee and dive deep into the blog to get all the tips on conquering DST and keeping your good sleeper.

1.Room Environment Check:

Before we begin diving deep into the DST tips I want you to enter your child’s room, turn off the lights, and sit down. Pull out your phones camera and begin recording. From ceiling to wall, wall to floor, floor to door until all angles are covered.

Exit the room.

Replay that video. Do you see any light? IF so, get it covered!

No matter which scenario you may be using below be sure that your child’s routine is still in place. Your little one should have a bedtime routine that they do each and every night to cue their brains that bedtime is approaching. So, now that we are aware that bedtime routine is approaching let’s see which scenario best fits our schedule, or our parenting.

2. Age Appropriate Schedule

Trying to understand your child’s schedule for DST is not easy when - you aren’t sure of a schedule regularly.

Make sure that we are getting them to bed at a reasonable time on Saturday because if they’re overtired, they’re going to wake early… anyway! Check out my FREE SCHEDULE GUIDE on my website- therestingbee.com

3. Color System (for older kids):

Having your child (2 and older) understand staying in bed, when the time feels off, is by having a color system in place. They know GREEN is the sign to wake.

Scenario 1:

This is for my mamas who totally forgot about DST and need a quick fix… so, this is the last minute quick fix scenario.

push bedtime back 15 mins! If bedtime is the usual 7:30, push to 7:45
THE next morning… guess what? Wake them up 15 mins later (or get them out of bed 15 mins later)!
On a nap- guess what? YES!!! push nap back….. FIFTEEN Mins later and also wake them…. fifteen mins later!
Example 8am up - 1-3 nap 8pm bedtime
- Will be 9am up 2-4 nap and 9pm bedtime
  - Not on a nap:
    - get them up 20 minutes later Thursday then, Thursday night, push bedtime back 20 minutes later (from usual schedule).
    - wake them 40 minutes later Saturday and lay them down 60 minutes later (from usual schedule). So… IF we laid them down at 8:20Thursday, 8:40 Friday, 9 Saturday we are falling back to our 8amish wake up on Sunday!
    - Tips to make them tired, and help push things without much exhaustion…
      - GET OUTSIDE AND PLAY SO FREAKING HARD.
      - No tv 2 hours before bedtime.
      - Plan playdates up until bath time.

Scenario 2:

THE GO WITH THE FLOW.

Step 1: Have and off day Sunday. Enjoy the day do whatever you want to do. That night you will want to do an early bedtime.

Hope that they wake at the designated wake time.
If not, keep their day normal. Keep naps the same as before DST not pushing them back or pulling them up.
Early bedtime for a couple nights.
Stay on track for 3-4 days.

If you have troubles after DST hop on a call with me and let’s get you back on track.

If DST is the least of your worries because your little one already struggles getting to sleep, staying asleep or waking early, book a FREE call with me.

Your Sleep Coach,

Brooke

PS, Daylight Savings Time brings on brighter mornings. Make sure you downloaded the FREE Early Morning Riser Guide below.