Spring Forward: Preparing Kids for Daylight Savings Time

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Daylight Savings Time is almost here... can you believe it? This year, Daylight Savings Time falls on March 11. On the bright side for us non-morning people, this is the better part of daylight savings time when we get to spring forward. Those early morning as we adjust to the schedule change might not feel quite so early.

Still, the transition can be a tough one on kids. Once bedtime rolls around, it will still FEEL early to them, and well... there's a good chance they're going to fight it! Today, I'm sharing some tips to help ease the transition.

• Think Ahead. Rather than an abrupt one hour change, prepare your kids. If they're old enough, explain about the time change, and when it's going to happen so they are prepared. A few days or weeks before, start gradually moving up bedtime, mealtimes, etc by 15 minutes or so. This will make the change a little less drastic once the time officially changes and still allows you to...
• Maintain a Routine. Many kids thrive on routine, so don't let the changing time mix it up. Using this 15 minute method, you can keep your routine pretty much the same with a much easier transition.
• Make It A Family Event. When you set out to change the clocks, get the entire family involved. Let older kids change their own alarm clocks and help the little ones do theirs. This again will just serve as a great reminder in action on the change that is about to happen. 
• Control Your Lighting. Who wants to go to bed when it's still light out!? I know it makes it harder in my family. My daughter often tells me, "We sleep when it's dark and wake when it's light," That makes sense. But the time change and longer days can mess with that, so use blackout curtains to promote a darker sleeping space to encourage kids to go to bed earlier and stay in bed later (open them in the morning, as the morning light can help them get back to a normal sleep pattern).
• Have Patience. Sometimes even with the greatest planning, it can be a tough transition for some. Just be patient, and remember it won't last forever. For most, it takes only about two weeks to get your routine back to normal. Stay strong, be patient and remember, it's only temporary. 

Are you ready for Daylight Savings Time? What tips and tricks have you found that helped your children adjust to the change?