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This Sunday March 13 at 2 a.m., we move our clocks forward one hour. Mornings begin to get brighter and evenings lighter (yay!), and parents of early risers may soon be able to get an extra hour of sleep in the morning. Cue the harps and rejoice.
So what do we need to do to prepare our child?s sleep schedule for daylight saving time" Luckily it isn’t as disruptive as when we turn the clocks back in the fall, so most kids adjust easily. Begin by waking little ones at the usual time on Sunday morning and following your regular daily routine. Continue with the normal nap and bedtimes, and kids should be on track within a week or so.
If you?re concerned about your child transitioning to the new time because he’s a sensitive sleeper, you can introduce the change gradually. If his typical wake time is 6:30 a.m. move it to 6:00 a.m. a few days before the actual change. This way once the clocks spring forward he?ll already be prepped for the new time. You can go as far as moving your baby’s entire schedule an hour ahead, including meal times and nap times, but for most kids this isn’t necessary. The key change, whenever you’re going through any kind of sleep transition, is bedtime. It may have to be slightly earlier than usual to make up for any lost sleep while your child adjusts.

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