Helping Children Transition with Daylight Savings Time + Pampers GIVEAWAY
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This weekend is already time to spring our clocks forward ahead for Daylight Savings Time. While I absolutely love that extra daylight at the end of the day, it is definitely a hard transition when you lose an hour, especially for children. My older boys have been transitioning a bit better by simply going to be a bit earlier. But for babies and younger children, the change can be even harder. I am thankful that because I stay home with my two year old Wes, I can adjust our schedule to fit him. But that doesn’t mean it is easy to change his nap and night time routines.
I had the opportunity to submit a few questions regarding sleep to expert Kim West, a Licensed Clinical Social Worker and author. She has written three books related to sleep including: “GOOD NIGHT, SLEEP TIGHT: The Sleep Lady’s Gentle Guide to Helping Your Child Go to Sleep, Stay Asleep and Wake Up Happy”, the “Good Night, Sleep Tight Workbook” and “52 Sleep Secrets for Babies.
Here are the questions I asked regarding Daylight Savings Time and sleep in general:
- How can we most effectively prepare in advance for Daylight Saving Time?
- What are some key practices to keep your baby a happy one, and thus a better sleeper.
- How parents can adjust their schedules to help the whole family transition?
- Do you have any tips for parents on what to do and not do before bedtime? Are there certain types of foods and activities to stay away from so children can transition better to sleep?
- Since we are losing an hour of sleep this time of year, is there anything we can do to help our children fall asleep faster and sleep more restful so they get the most out of the time they have for sleep?
- Got any tips for waking up our children in a way they helps them transition and avoid crankiness?
Here is a video of Kim West’s sleep advice for me!
I love her advice about blackout shades. If you don’t yet have them for your child’s room, I highly recommend them. Wesley’s room stays completely dark during the day, which really helps him transition for nap time. It is also really important if your child has an earlier bedtime, especially during those extended days in the summer.
Certain products can definitely help create a more restful night sleep, including Pampers diapers to keep your little one dry all night long. Having some sort of nightlight, such as the Cloud B Twilight Turtle is a great way to help your child transition to sleep.
Do you have any favorite night time products that help your child fall asleep?
WIN IT:
In honor of helping your little one get the a good night sleep, I have a daylight savings prize package from Pampers to give away to a lucky reader!
- Month supply of Pampers Baby Dry Jumbo Pack Size 6 (four jumbo packages)
- Month supply of Pampers Sensitive Baby Wipes (two 64ct tubs)
- Kim West’s book: “The Sleep Lady’s Good Night Sleep Tight”
- CloudB Twilight Turtle
Disclosure: I have received a gift for sharing this post, however all thoughts are my own. Pampers has only provided me the product that I am using as the prizes for this contest. The contest is not otherwise endorsed, designed and/or administered by or associated with Pampers.
We try to stick to a schedule and it seems to help.
Mine is to try to keep them on the normal routine/ schedule as so it doesnt mess them up.
I actually change their bedtime by 15 minutes a day for that week to keep them on schedule for when time changes
We do something special the night before that keeps them up later (like a movie night) and they adjust easily.
Keep your routine the same
We haven’t really found a way to deal with it. I think I have a harder time dealing with it then my kids.
I never had any problems with my daughter. Things went on as normal.
I start a week early slowly adjusting to the “new” time by having the kids go to bed a few minutes earlier each night so by the time the time change is in effect they are more into the new routine.
Keep your bedtime routine as consistent as possible.
MAKE SURE THEY GO TO BED ABOUT A HALF HOUR EARLIER FOR ABOUT A WEEK BEFORE THE TIME CHANGE
Get all that energy around by running around or playing with them, so they sleep earlier.
*Get all that energy out by running around or playing with them, so they sleep earlier.
We just keep the same routine.
I have supper earlier so they have more time to play and get all the energy out before it is bedtime.
Gradually adjust them to the time difference by going to bed a few minutes earlier or later.
try to adjust the sleep schedule gradually, change it 15 min at a time leading up to the time change so it isnt so dramatic
I have always just keep with are same routine
we always have a hour of quiet time before bedtime.
We have a rotuine before bed. We rock and read a book together
We don’t change bedtimes just because it stays light an hour later, but we do have room darkening curtains in my boys’ rooms so they don’t know the difference.
Keep the same routine, they adjust just like we do.