Daylight saving time ends at 2 a.m. Sunday, November 1, and a Treasure Coast pediatrician says parents should start with lower expectations.
Dr. Christina Vernace, a board-certified pediatrician at Cleveland Clinic Martin Health, says a gradual approach and a relaxed attitude can make the change easier for families.
“My first piece of advice as a mom of young children is to start by having low expectations,” Vernace said. “That might sound kind of dismal, but I have learned personally that it’s made every transition a little bit less stressful for myself and my family.”
Vernace said the pressure to return to a normal schedule can make the adjustment harder.
“I know routines and schedules are very necessary and children thrive with them,” she said. “But I think the more stress we put on ourselves to be back to a normal schedule during times like daylight saving, the more stressful it becomes for us.”
For the fall change, one approach is to push bedtime later in the weeks beforehand. Vernace said some of her mom friends have moved bedtime about 15 minutes later each night as the change approaches.
She cautioned that children may still wake up earlier than their parents would like for a few weeks.
“One of the other things that I have learned as a pediatrician is that sleep begets sleep,” she said. “If we are sending them to bed later, but they are still waking up earlier, we all know that that will create some grumpy young people, which is obviously not ideal.”
Vernace also recommended time in the sun, which she said helps the body’s internal clock adjust.
“Having a lot of time outside, which is beautiful right now in Florida,” she said. “Being outside in the sunlight really helps with circadian rhythm and can help that transition be a little less sticky and tricky for our toddlers and our older kids too.”
She said parents should also limit screens before bed and keep up soothing nighttime routines.
“Having some really good relaxing and soothing activities right before bedtime are always good no matter what the situation,” she said, “but especially during this time of transition for kids and teens.”
Vernace said the fall change is easier on children than the spring one.
“The spring forward, I think, is actually a little bit harder than what we’re about to do in the fall backwards,” she said. For teens, she added, “this fall, that time is actually a pretty good gift.”
Some parents worry about children waiting for the bus in the dark. Vernace said that concern applies mainly in the spring, when clocks move ahead and mornings get darker.
She encouraged families to practice safety habits year-round. “When it comes to that time where it is darker, those are already ingrained in our kids’ heads,” she said.
“Anytime there is less transition for us as parents and pediatricians and caretakers of children, the easier it is for our kids and the less stress,” she said. “Kids thrive on a routine.”
As a Floridian, she said, she would prefer more evening daylight.
“I personally just would love the idea of more daylight all year long versus that fallback that we get,” she said.
For more tips and suggestions on helping your children adjust to the time change, Vernace recommends taking a look at healthychildren.org