Clock changes... will they wake an hour early?

With the clock changes coming up I get a lot of emails about what to do to stop bedtimes getting disrupted or if anything is needed to be changed at all. No body wants their normal 6/7am wake up to turn into a 5am wake up I'm sure. There are a few options, often it depends on your child, what their temperament is like and if they're sensitive to any change in routines. The gradual approach- This approach is great especially for those with little ones who are sensitive to change in routines or very young. It would mean the 4 nights leading up to the clock change that you shifted the time they fall to sleep by 15 minutes each night. So, when the clocks are going back- start four nights leading up to the night they change, with sleep time 15 minutes later. If its usually 7pm sleep then aim for 7.15pm on night one, the following night 7.30, the following 7.45 and the night of the clock change they go to bed at 8pm which would be the new 7pm going forward. Likewise when the clocks go forward adjust timings the opposite way! Adjust nap times, meal times accordingly.

Meeting in the middle- The night of the clock change just meet in the middle for a 7.30pm sleep time when the clocks go back and then to 6.30pm when they are going forward. (This is if you normally have a 7pm sleep times.) All in one- If you have a pretty relaxed little one or your little one is older, then on clock change night you could just switch a whole hour later at sleep time for when they go back and opposite again when forward. If you are unsure then the meeting in the middle could be a good option! Now, if you are working on a really flexible routine then you can of course just roll with it and change nothing. We can always help their internal body clocks to adjust by adapting meal times once the clocks change, make sure bedrooms are dark at bed time, spending some time outdoors in the day time and by keeping up with their usual bedtime routines/ cues. Any questions just ask and remember its all about what works best for you as a family.