This weekend our clocks will move forward 1 hour. My 13 month old son has a pretty set schedule for meals, naps, and sleep. I'm concerned that if I just try to switch the clocks over night that he will be hungry and thus fussy at the wrong time on Sunday. Plus it will probably be hard to get him to go to sleep at 7pm, since it will still feel like 6pm to him. I was thinking that it might be better to start adjusting his schedule 20 minutes each day so that the change phases in over 3 days. My husband thinks it would be easier to just make the switch from one day to the next. What do you think? Have you had problems with kids being irritable/off-schedule right after the time change? How do you deal with it?
2007-03-07 07:04:54 · 8 answers · asked by Christine S 1 in Pregnancy & Parenting ➔ Toddler & Preschooler
My daughter is on a schedule as well and my time zone always moved forwards or backwards it just depend but they will be getting thing done an hour earlier or later just have to get use to it and dont change the schedule that what i do.. she stil stays on her noamll stuff and she is also 1 years old 18 months old.
2007-03-07 07:10:24 · answer #1 · answered by kristy_n_tx 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
You don't really have to worry too much........on daylight savings day, we should (in theory) change the clocks at like 2am. Just put the baby to bed at his normal time (which will be the real time). Get the baby up at the time that he normally wakes up (which will be an hour earlier). He will be kind of cranky, but I am sure he will deal.
I have an 11 month old and we are on a VERY strict routine, but our schedule is flexible. for example: weekdays I get up at 5am for work and get her up at 6:30am for daycare. But on weekends, we both sleep until 7. Sometimes 7:30. She does not even notice the difference. the only thing that changes is her nap. weekdays, she naps for almost exactly 2 hours........weekends, it is closer to an hour and a half, sometimes an hour 15 minutes. But that is it. the rest of our day (meals, snacks, what time she naps) stays the same. even with the difference in her sleep. and her bedtime does not change either.
Just follow the baby's routine like you always do. Don't think of it as his schedule being all out of whack.......just think of it as losing an hour of sleep. He will be ready to go to bed at at 7pm, (even if it will still feel like 6pm to him) because he will have had to get up what felt like an hour earlier. he will be back on normal schedule by the next day.
I would NOT recomend tryiing to move things around over three days.....that could really mess thigns up!
Good luck!!!
2007-03-07 20:28:32 · answer #2 · answered by ShellyLynn 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I am just like you except with a 1 1/2 y/o & 3 1/2 y/o....that is exactly what I do each time change. A week or so before...just adjust it 15-20 minutes before....by the time the time change it isn't such a drastic change for them. I also throw in some extras in there....for example the night time routine involves a bath...well I let them being in their longer let them have fun, at the same time getting nice and tired. I make a heavier meal like spagetti...etc....and during the day I tire them out more, like spend the day at the park let them run wild etc....it helps induce the I am soooo tired I don't care if its 6pm old time ya know????
2007-03-07 17:21:18 · answer #3 · answered by mrs.m 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I have two small children and work the new schedule in over a couple of days. All at once is tough on them as they are on a pretty tight schedule. I move things around by about 1/2 an hour and this seems to work pretty well. Good luck.
2007-03-07 15:11:09 · answer #4 · answered by rustymoch 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Don't stress yourself out over this. Everyone is dealing with the time change so everyone (adults included) are a bit out of sorts the next day. :)
Just do it one day. If she goes down for nap late (which she probably will) just be sure to wake her up at the correct time according to the clock. She will be grumpy but then she'll go to bed on time. She will be on track the next day.
Kids adjust quickly. SD
2007-03-07 16:23:27 · answer #5 · answered by SD 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
You are lucky, he doesn't tell time with a clock. When they get a bit older, and have to go to school, that is when the fun begins. He will be hungry and sleepy when he gets hungry and sleepy. His schedule will not change. Yours will change however, and now instead of waking up at 6 am, he will be up at 5. Yes, it is a problem, but it is ours, not theirs. Trying to keep him awake longer or put him to sleep earlier, making him eat before he is hungry or making him wait past when he is hungry to eat, it will only make both of you miserable.
2007-03-07 15:17:56 · answer #6 · answered by s f 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Fall is worse. The first time I went through that with my daughter was rough (she was 10 or 11 months old). By the time we ate dinner at 5:30 she felt like it was 6:30 and she was famished! It took at least a week, maybe two to get really adjusted to the new time.
You're idea of 20 minutes a day is a good one.
2007-03-07 15:12:01 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋
Never had a problem with our kids. We just told them what time it was and they believed us. Don't forget you are the adult - you are in charge. Do whatever youwant.
2007-03-07 15:13:51 · answer #8 · answered by coffee 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋