Tips for Preparing Your Child for Daylight Saving Time

March 10 marks the start of daylight saving time, moving clocks ahead one hour. While few people enjoy losing an hour of sleep, parents often worry most about how their children will adjust to the change. Research by pediatric sleep expert Jodi Mindell, Ph.D., professor of psychology, found that young children lose about 15 to 20 minutes of sleep the first few nights after the time change. Toddlers adjust to the time change fairly quickly, with most adjusting with one week. Infants, though, can take up to four weeks to completely transition.

According to the Pediatric Sleep Council, for which Mindell serves as chair of the Board of Directors, a child’s internal clock is primarily set by light and dark. What time a child gets up in the morning, which may be more of a struggle the first few days after the time change, is what sets the body clock.

What can parents do to avoid a meltdown when putting their kids to bed and waking them up after the time change? Start preparing early, says Mindell.

“If possible, making slower changes can be beneficial,” she says. “Start on Thursday night, shifting bedtime earlier by 15 minutes every day. Or, start on Saturday night shifting 30 minutes earlier.”

Putting children to bed earlier during the week leading up to the time change can make a big difference. Even if their bedtime is adjusted gradually, by the end of the week, they’ll already be better acclimated to going to sleep an hour earlier. These modifications also make waking them up an hour earlier much easier.

If parents miss out on the opportunity to prep their child, there are still ways to encourage the adjustment after daylight saving time begins. One of the most important strategies is to continue their child’s regular routine even though the time has shifted. Operating on the adjusted time, even if it means waking children up earlier than they’d prefer, is the most effective way to embrace daylight saving time.

“The best thing to do is to stick with your child’s usual schedule,” Mindell says. “Maintain usual bedtimes and wake your child in the morning at his or her regular wake time.”

Parents can also use light to their advantage with the onset of daylight saving time. Because children’s internal clocks are affected by light and dark, parents should expose their child to natural light in the morning as much as possible, whether that is opening the blinds or, even better, heading out for a morning walk. This signals to the child’s body that it’s time to start the day.

Finally, Mindell notes that when the clocks leap forward by an hour, everyone should accept that it will take a bit of time to adjust and patience will be key.

“Daylight saving time can be difficult for everyone, and for some young children it can take days to weeks to adjust,” Mindell says. “The more parents prepare for the time change and stick to a schedule, the quicker that everyone will adjust.”