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It seems that most adults dread spring time change. The idea of losing an hour of precious sleep is distressing enough, but when you have a preschooler who wakes at the crack of dawn, it is even more distressing. Hopefully, the following tips will help make the time change easier on both your preschooler and yourself.
Stick with Routines
Sticking to your daily routines will be the biggest help for your preschooler. Your little one doesn’t know how to tell time yet, so the routines you have established is what signals to her that bedtime is coming. If bedtime is at 8:00 and the bedtime routine begins at 7:00 with a bath, keep this consistent in the time change and move through your routines as normal.
Gradual Shifts
Begin to shift your preschooler’s bedtime earlier about four days before the actual time change occurs. Move your child’s bedtime by fifteen minutes earlier each night until you reach the desired bedtime. For example, if his bedtime is 8:00, bedtime is 7:45, 7:30, 7:15, and 7:00 the four nights leading up to the time change. Once the time change occurs, his bedtime will be 8:00 and the change will not seem as dramatic to his inner timeclock. You may want to also move dinner fifteen minutes earlier each night to keep times consistent. You can also move naps and other mealtimes fifteen minutes earlier throughout the day.
Embrace Darkness
One reason bedtime is more difficult during Daylight Savings Time is because it is still light outside when it is time for young children to go to bed. If you feel this will be an issue for your preschooler, invest in a set of room darkening curtains. The curtains will block the sunlight and trick your preschooler’s brain into thinking it is dark outside. Be sure to open the curtains in the morning, to let in sunlight and help your preschooler’s circadian rhythm to recognize day and night.
Be patient with your preschooler and yourself. Remember that our internal time clocks are strong. You may be more sleep deprived the first week or two after the time change, but your preschooler’s sleep schedule will get back to normal.
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