Even kids who do not know how to tell time are affected by Daylight Savings Time clock changes, because the change of one hour means that scheduled activities such as meals and bedtimes are shifted. Parents can take simple steps to help their children get used to the time change.
Daylight Savings Time
In most countries, the clocks change the first Sunday in November and the second Sunday in March. The official time for the change is 2:00 a.m. local standard time, but most families change their clocks the night before. Because many fire departments have campaigns to remind people to change smoke alarm batteries on Daylight Savings days, it is hard for the time change to sneak past adults. Children, however, do not have an awareness of Daylight Savings Time, so parents need to prepare kids for the upcoming changes.
Tips to Adjust to Physically Adjusting to Time Changes
Even kids who understand the concept of a time change will have convince their body clocks to match the clock on the wall. Some tricks to help body-clocks reset include:
- spending time outside will help, because daylight can help body rhythms
- exercise and physical movement helps people respond to changes in their worlds
- quiet time (as opposed to napping), helps the body understand new times without creating problems of too much sleep.
Adjusting to "Falling Back"
It is far easier to Fall Back than it is to Spring Ahead, so in November, teenagers will enjoy the sense of sleeping in an hour later until their bodies re-adjust to match the clock. For everyone else, falling back is annoying. It is important to maintain the consistency of established bedtimes, so kids may end up feeling like they are in bed at 7:30, even though the clock says it is 8:30.
If children understand the concept of time, it is easier to help them understand why the clocks have changed. Babies and toddlers will find it harder to make the change, and may be fussy and tired for the first few days after the clocks have changed.
The fall time change offers good opportunities to start habits of reading for longer periods of time before bedtime, because children will be awake, even though they are in bed. For children and teenagers who skip breakfast, the fall might be a good time to start eating breakfast instead of skipping breakfast.
Adjusting to "Springing Ahead"
When the clocks move forward, what feels like 3:00 is really 4:00. Teenagers will struggle more than anyone else, because it is already difficult for them to wake up in the morning. Children will be more tired at bedtime, but if they fall asleep earlier, they will wake up earlier, also. In the spring, people will have more daylight and can engage in more healthy outside activities. Families can take walks and play outside together, and students might feel like they have more time to do homework since their bodies will feel like they are out of school an hour early.
Daylight Savings Time is an excellent opportunity to build a half-hour or so that seemed missing before. Most people adjust within the first week, so parents should take advantage of the slim window of a few days when people can make lifestyle adjustments to match the clock.
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