Tips for preparing for daylight saving time

Start adjusting a few days in advance

To avoid completely disrupting your schedule overnight, opt instead to gradually adjust the whole family to the inevitable change that is approaching. Three to four days before, start to gradually shift daily routines by 10 to 15 minutes a day. For the spring time change, put the children to bed a little earlier each day, and do the same with meals and naps. 

This gradual approach works particularly well with babies and young children, whose biological clocks are still very sensitive to changes. For older children who understand the concept, take the time to explain what's coming and involve them in the process, so they more readily accept the necessary adjustments. 

Play with natural light

Light is undoubtedly your best ally for regulating the whole family's circadian rhythm. Make sure to expose children to plenty of natural light as soon as they wake up in the morning to help them wake up. Open the curtains wide when you get up, have breakfast near a window; you can even play outside before school starts if that's possible for you! These small actions send clear signals to the brain about when it's time to be active!

Adapt strategies according to age

For babies under one year old, you will certainly need to be patient. It is completely normal for their rhythm to take a few days to stabilize. Make sure to maintain usual routines as much as possible and be flexible with exact times during the adjustment period.

Toddlers aged one to three years, on the other hand, can be particularly affected because they are generally less able to manage their fatigue. Therefore, plan calm activities at the end of the day and be prepared to deal with a few extra tantrums during the transition. A relaxing bath can also really make a difference when it's time for bed!

For preschool and school-aged children, the important thing is to maintain a consistent bedtime routine, even if the time changes: the same steps, in the same order, at the same relative time in the evening. This predictability reassures them and facilitates falling asleep.

The days following the change

Even with the best preparation, expect a few days of adjustment after the official time change. Waking up too early, resisting bedtime, shifted naps... all of this is part of the normal adaptation process.

Resist the temptation to let children nap longer to compensate or to put them to bed much later under the pretext that they don't seem tired; doing so would only prolong the adjustment period. Stick to your target schedules, and in most cases, everything will return to normal in three to five days.

Daylight saving time is a bit like many aspects of parenting: you do your best with what you have, you adjust along the way, and eventually, it passes! And in a few months, we'll start again in the other direction! 😫