Losing Zzz's

Saturday night was my least favorite night of the year—Daylight Savings.  While I love the fact that longer days and warm weather are in our future, I can’t help but cringe when I hear the cute commercials and reminders for everyone to “Spring Ahead.”  I envision the next few days filled with whining and irritability. And I am not just talking about me!   

Kids get blindsided by this curveball we send them twice a year and why shouldn’t they? As Jodi Mindell, Ph.D and specialist in pediatric sleep, explained in a recent article on www.parenting.com, “…A child’s body clock is set by light and dark patterns, not by what it reads on your watch.”  Mindell adds that “…it can take seven to ten days for a child's internal clock to "reset."   

How can we expedite this annual transition for our families?   

Mindell encourages parents, “to stick to your current daytime routine.”  “…continue to have your child's meals, bedtimes, everything, at the same time as usual.”   

Now, clearly, this is easier said than done.  The weather is finally a bit warmer, our yards are slowly returning to normal and the kids are just beginning to enjoy the outdoors again.  Just in time for us to have the joy of telling them that they have to come inside to eat when their bodies are telling them that there must still time to play since they aren’t even hungry yet.  Oh, I am really looking forward to that conversation.  (No wonder why I am called the “Meanest Mommy” at least once a day.)  

Another suggestion Mindell offers is for parents to “Expose your child to bright light first thing in the morning to reprogram the internal clock faster.”  So, be sure to change to high wattage bulbs for the next week or so.  (I kid, of course.  I am sure a bright flashlight by your child’s face first thing in the morning will set a positive tone for the day-especially for those, eager to wake-up, teenagers!)  

While these suggestions are good, I just wanted to add some reality to them.  Please let me know how you do with these since I will be too busy hitting my snooze button!   

But after I get out of bed, I will be taking Mindell’s advice and am determined to keep our typical routine Sunday, as difficult as that may be.   

“Happy” Daylight Savings!