Navigating The Fall Time Change – Why Doing Less Is Better

2022 UPDATE: I have an updated YouTube video (click here), podcast (click here) and cheat sheet (click here) on this topic! Click the link to visit the one that would be most helpful to you!

You’ve just gotten your baby sleeping through the night or have started to settle into your child’s new fall school schedule…. And now the dreaded fall time change is just around the corner!

Daylight Saving Time ends on Sunday, November 1st. The clock is going to turn back one hour. What does this mean? Your child who currently wakes at 6:30am will wake at 5:30am on November 1st. Sounds fun, right?

I’ll admit that the fall time change can be more challenging than the spring change. BUT, I want to put your mind at ease right now. The time change is not something to lose sleep over. I promise. In fact, if you don’t do too much fretting or tinkering it can be a non-event.

There are a lot of experts out there recommending you adjust your child’s schedule gradually over a period of one to two weeks. I, however, want you to make the adjustment in one day.  

So what should you do?

How to Adjust to the Fall Time Change in One Day

The most important step: Do. Nothing. In advance. And then make a small tweak on Sunday, November 1st.

Here’s what you’re going to do the weekend of the time change:

• On Saturday night you’re going to put your little one (and yourself) to bed at the normal time. If they go to bed late because it’s Halloween night, I still want you to follow the following steps.
• On Sunday morning, everyone is going to wake at their normal wake times. So, if your child typically wakes at 6:30 A.M., that’s when they will wake up. The reality is that it’s actually 5:30 A.M. No problem – no one should be tired yet because everyone went to bed on time and got the right amount of sleep (ideally!). Get up and change your clocks to the new time.
• The only change I’d like you to make to your child’s schedule on Sunday is doing everything 30 minutes earlier than normal. For example, if your child normally naps at 12 P.M., put them down for their nap at the “new” 11:30 A.M. If their normal bedtime is 7 P.M., put them down at the “new” 6:30 P.M. on Sunday night. Result: On Sunday you have shifted them halfway to the new time.
• On Monday morning, hold firm to not getting them up before 6 A.M. and then go back to your normal schedule. Using the same example as above, you will put your child down for their regular 12 P.M. nap on Monday and bedtime will be 7 P.M.

How easy was that?!

You’re skeptical, I know.

So why does this approach work?

Your child’s (and your) biological sleep rhythms are primarily driven by two things… natural light/darkness and the schedule/rhythm of the day (school start time, meal times, etc.).

By Monday morning, your schedule will be normal – eat breakfast at a normal time, drop off at daycare/school at the regular time (or fire up the school Zoom session), eat lunch at the regular time, get home at the usual time, eat dinner, etc. This is why a slow tinkering of your kiddo’s schedule leading up to the time change can backfire – the rhythm of their day hasn’t yet changed. As soon as it does change, your little one can adjust quickly. 

FAQ

I have a very sensitive child. Don’t they need a more gradual approach? I hear you. I have a very sensitive child and an easy-going chid. The less is more approach has always worked well for both of them. In fact, I would argue that the slow adjustment is more likely to throw off a sensitive child’s rhythm.

What do I do if we use a toddler clock? First, yay for toddler clocks! I am a big believer that every child over the age of 2 years old should have one. Make sure the clock is set to the new time on Sunday morning. Adjust the clock nap timing on Sunday to provide for the typical nap length with the nap starting 30 minutes earlier than usual. When you put your child to bed Sunday night, set it to “wake” at the normal wake time.

What do I do if my kiddo doesn’t shift right over and is waking early or taking short naps? Stay the course with your normal schedule and their body’s rhythm will adjust to they typical schedule. If they are taking shorter naps and/or waking too early, remember that an early bedtime is your friend. Putting your child to bed 30 minutes earlier than normal can fix sooo many issues.

ON NOVEMBER 1ST I’LL BE OFFERING ONLINE SUPPORT ON MY FACEBOOK PAGE AND INSTAGRAM AS YOU WORK THROUGH THE TRANSITION. Look for a post to go up on both pages the morning of the 1st and then I’ll go live to answer questions at 1 P.M. EST.