daylight savings time and bedtime

[Elizabeth86]

I was curious if your kids schedule stays the same even when time changes. For us, we just can't stand the thought of going to bed when there is still light outside. So when ti.e springs forward an our, so does bedtime. Anyone else? Just curious.

[Rachel]

We pretty much stick to the clock. I like the kids lights out by 8:15-8:30. The first few days of the time change they might have a little trouble falling asleep, so I may let them read in bed a bit, but I need my alone time in the evening.

[MEmama]

We stick to the clock. I reset it the evening before the change so it shows the new time the next morning when we get up.

 

We do the same thing when we travel so we don't have jet lag (works for us, though it might not for everybody).

[SparklyUnicorn]

We don't have bed times, but I find myself going to bed a lot later when it's light out later. 

 

Ugh...I hate the time change though.  It always messes me up for awhile.

 

 

[Arcadia]

We stick to the clock since DS12 has online classes at 8am on some days and both kids have 9:30am brick and mortar class on Saturday. Better grouchy going to bed on time than waking up grouchy for class.

 

We don’t have strict bedtime for summer unless kids have summer camp/class the next day.

[Chris in VA]

We might adjust a tiny bit, but it's not as light at night here as it was when I was a kid in Ohio (more west there). My mom got me deep pink window shades--I remember how lovely the room was when I'd put them down and the light would come thru. 

 

 

I've heard a key to adjusting one's schedule for time changes is to eat according to the new clock, hungry or not. Apparently that helps adjust the body. 

[Rachel]

My kids do have blackout curtains on their windows so their rooms are pretty dark.

 

I don’t think there is a right or wrong answer here, if it works for your kids to stay up later I say go for it.

[Bluegoat]

My kids tend to stay up later in summer, especially once it also starts to warm up.  Not so much this time of year as their morning schedule isn't much different and it is still pretty cold - but as Spring gets closer it becomes more and more difficult to maintain.  Our general rule is that if the kids go out to play, they need to come home when the street-lights come on, so in December that's before 5, and in summer closer to 9.  So that tends to make for a much different bedtime.

[carriede]

We adjust a half hour. So right now the younger go to bed at 730, and the older at 8. When the time changes, it'll be 8 (old 7) and 830 (old 730). They'll be going to bed "earlier" but it will LOOK later. But that trick may not last forever....

[Ausmumof3]

After years of fighting this, my kids go to bed later. When it's been ridiculously hot all day and the hours from 8-9 pm are the nicest ones to spend outside I'm not shuffling them into bed. Ideally I'd love them to sleep in the afternoon when it's hot but they generally don't.

[JudoMom]

My boys have never really had early enough bedtimes for it to matter.

[Liz CA]

It's horrible every year. I wish they stopped this nonsense. Finally, when I have my circadian rhythm somewhat aligned with work days, someone throws sand in the wheels.

[Mommyof1]

DD5 bedtime is 7:30 even with daylight savings. She is up about 5am every morning.

 

Exceptions happen. Like July 4th.

[wendyroo]

DD5 bedtime is 7:30 even with daylight savings. She is up about 5am every morning.

 

Exceptions happen. Like July 4th.

 

DH has wanted to take our boys to see the fireworks for the last three years, and he can never keep them up long enough.  :lol: Last year I gave him my blessing to keep them up as late as he wanted on the fourth, but he quickly changed him mind and shuffled them to bed at 8pm because their behavior was so atrocious from being kept up too late.  He then tried to wake them up at 10pm to take them, and soon they were all crying and asking to be left alone.  Good times.

 

I'm an outside the box thinker, so I've always just taken them out into the yard to do sprinklers first thing in the morning before the sun has fully come up.  They naturally wake around 5:30, so morning sprinklers fit their circadian rhythm.

 

To answer the OP, no we don't change bedtime in the summer.  If anything, they are more tired in the summer because they are more active, and therefore need more sleep...and all of them will be up at the crack of dawn no matter when they fall asleep.  We have blackout curtains on their windows, so their rooms look pretty much the same at bedtime (~7pm) all year round.

 

Wendy

[Mabelen]

We try to follow the clock because my daughter goes to school. Not that her body adjusts instantly though! I am pretty sure this time change will be tougher than usual. She has turned 14 and I have been noticing how her circadian rhythm is shifting to feeling sleepy later in the evening and needing more to sleep in. I will try my best to make it easier on her, but there is only so much you can do. Fun!

[Spryte]

We stick together the clock. In summer, when it’s light pretty late, I’ll adjust a bit, but mostly we follow the clock. I want alone time with DH.