On March 13, 2013, we set our clocks from 2am to 3am. If we are unlucky enough to actually physically do this at that moment, most likely we are up with kids already having a rough time sleeping --oh, the joys of parenthood. This time of year children have been spending more time indoors and less time wearing themselves out with outdoor activities, so it comes as no surprise that putting them down for the night would be rough. The infamous 'springing forward' doesn't help. Below are a few daylight savings tips to get kids to sleep.
- Early light exposure helps. According to WebMD, exposure to light earlier in the day can help reset your internal clock. If weather doesn't permit, consider eating breakfast by a large window with the light shining through.
- Avoid heavy lighting at night. Try darkening the house earlier by turning unnecessary lights off. It might also be helpful to block the light that is still coming through windows. Dark blinds work well, but simple hanging a dark sheet over the windows might help get kids to sleep.
- Slow down. Kids like to play by jumping and running, but it's best to encourage them to get this out of their system earlier in the day so they can be more relaxed at night time.
- Skip the soda and chocolate. One of the easiest daylight savings tips to get kids to sleep is simply avoid stimulants.
- Have patience. Yes, this is not the best tip, but it is necessary. Sometimes it takes a while for children (and us) to adjust to daylight savings, but it will happen.
If you have any daylight savings tips to get kids to sleep, feel free to share in the comment section below. We would love to hear your ideas.
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