Guys, my least favorite weekend is approaching. Daylight Saving Time is ending. (And yes it’s Saving not Savings). I’m strongly committed to having Wisconsin change to no more DST or to being on DST permanently, but until the state assembly agrees with me, I’m here to help you not collapse into a bundle of sobbing tears. 

I know. I know. Pre kids this weekend was THE BEST, you got to hit snooze and roll over for another hour of sleep. But you know what’s practically impossible? Telling a 6 month old to sleep in. I’ve tried. With 3 different kids. NOT A SINGLE ONE listened. So buckle up and let’s get to work on tips to survive the end of Daylight Saving Time. 

Daylight Saving Time is Ending Tips

• Go to Sleep! Don’t stay up too late. Your kid isn’t going to sleep in, unless you’re super lucky. So be kind to yourself. Get your “extra” sleep on the night time end not the morning end. 
• Get outside! The circadian rhythms that govern when we are tired are highly light dependent. Getting outside in the morning and afternoon is important to helping your and your kids' bodies adjust to the “time.” Hitting the morning sunshine is especially helpful because your brain knows how much light is hitting your eyes. 
• Schedule Transitions: For those of you who are home with the kiddos- you might be able to ease them into a more gentle transition. You could start by having meals 30 minutes later this week and push bedtime back by a half an hour this week as well. Then when DST hits you’ll be a half hour early! 
  • This takes for granted that you have a strong schedule, but I know at least a couple of you are out there- so this one’s for you. 
  • If you don’t have a super strict schedule that’s totally ok! Try to push bedtime back a little bit this week and see how it goes
• Move DST to Friday Night: For those of you who don’t have the option to start moving time back a week early, one of my best tips is to pretend that DST ends Friday. Friday evening after work, play a game and have some popcorn. Treat Saturday like the clock has already changed. This gives you one more day of transition time so that come Monday you’re slightly closer to “normal.”

My Kid Isn’t Sleeping In… 

• CAFFEINE. Your kid used to wake up at 5:30? That’s now 4:30. Coffee, chocolate covered espresso beans, tea, insert your beverage of choice here. 
• Have a candlelit breakfast. My kids, especially the older ones, love candles. Breaking them out at breakfast feels special and is a super calm way to start the day.
• Go for a sunrise hike. It’s one of the best times of a year to see the sunrise. And you’re up for it! You won’t be less tired but the views will be stunning. Plus you can avoid all the crowds on the trails and take advantage of the last of the fall colors.
• Morning Snuggles. Grab that little munchkin and bring them in for a good cuddle under the blankets. Sing some songs or watch some cartoons. 
• MOVE! Hahah! This isn’t a real tip- but if you’re tired of DST and clock shenanigans, you can move to Arizona, Hawaii, Puerto Rico and American Samoa, where they observe standard time all year. Oklahoma, Texas, and Kansas also have bills in their assemblies to opt out of DST. Florida is currently attempting to be on DST year round. 
• Sign a petition or contact your legislator: Or you can sign one of the many petitions that are currently floating around to end DST permanently.  Wisconsin recently had a bill on the floor to move to DST permanently. For a more in depth look at Wisconsin’s options check out this article.  

Whatever route you take to survive the end of Daylight Saving Time, just know that your child will eventually shift to the new time frame. It might take a week, but it won’t be forever. For some fun historical facts about DST check out this article from National Geographic. 

Do you have a favorite tip for how you adjust to the end of DST? Share it with us in the comments.