clocks going back - in for a nightmare?!

[gretagrape]

Son is 6mo and wakes up anywhere between 5am-6am. Bearable at the moment but suddenly realised next weekend the clocks go back and he could wake up on the Sunday at 4am!

What do you do - stagger bedtime a bit later for a week in the hope they wake up later?

We did nothing at that age (because we forgot!) - 3 days and everything was back to normal.....

Never had a problem with either clocks going forward or back tbh, just lived life by the new hours as children take their cues from the routines you've established. So if your ds normally eats at 1pm (old time) just do the same (1pm new time). Put him to bed same time as usual and live by the new hours upon waking. If he's slightly unsettled on day one he should be fine by day two. I did this mainly because I couldn't be arsed with faffing around for days before each clock change. Ds has always been fine (fingers crossed I have not tempted fate!) We also have a glo clock though which is a huge help now, but obviously won't help if your ds is under 2.

By the way, though logic would say the clocks going back would mean he wakes earlier, the opposite is true, he should instead wake at 6 or 7. It's the clocks going forward that causes most problems as you lose an hour rather than gaining one.

The whole day shifts so it'll be fine!

If DS has always been an early riser good luck.

I've heard some people try keeping their DCs up later for 7 days in a row, or try a quarter of an hour later every other night until the hour is made up, or alternatively putting them down to bed earlier.

Bath, milk, bed, however you normally play it stick to your usual routine.

Your best bet might be for you to go to bed earlier!

On the bright side later on if you go on holiday abroad there could be time zones so at some point you and DS will be coping with clocks so grit your teeth and be flexible, sympathies.

Ha ha - thanks!

He's already going in the wrong direction this week - waking at 5am instead of 6am last week, so I reckon I'll be going to bed with him at 7pm next weekend.

i remember when the clocks changed when DS was 1.5 a couple of years ago. That weekend he went from regular 5.30 to 6am waking to 7 to 7.30 waking which was completely the wrong way round as it was lighter in the mornings so i don't think you can really predict. He still wakes up about 7.30 on an average day.

Ditch the stupid 7pm British bed time.

If you put DCs to bed at 8, you get peace in a morning.

Well you did with DD1, DD2 wasn't so cooperative, she never is.

However, DD2 would come into our bed and BF and doze, so not too bad.

7pm stupid British bedtime

My DS can go to bed at 9pm and still gets up between 5 - 6am!

OP that sounds like great sleeping for 6m

Keep him up an hour later the night before. And don't worry - we just moved 10mo DD back 8 hours and it corrected in 3 days.

12m DS wakes between 4-5am every day - I was dreading the clock change but maybe it won't be so bad! Even if he got to 6am that would be amazing!

Sorry to point out that if he normally wakes at 5am by the clock then the clock will go back and be 4am.

I'm not being smug. I also have a 5am waker and I'm dreading it!

And mine wakes up at the same time no matter when he goes to bed. He's just more tired and grumpy.

Really, I think people over egg the whole clock change issue. I remember being really concerned about the first one with ds, but it passes every time without incident.

I know damp that is my fear (or 3am based on current starts sometimes being 4am) but I was being deluded by taking comfort from some previous posters indicating their DC slept longer despite expecting the reverse!

starballbunny - what?

Mine's the same as dampdudes - doesn't matter what time he goes to bed, still springs to life early.

I'm going to try and keep him up a bit later each night next week - probably won't work, so I guess I'll be on MN at 4am next Sunday!

If I had a pound for every time my Italian in laws tell me that if I put DS to bed later, he'll miraculously wake up later I'd be rich! No matter how late he goes to sleep he will always wake up by 530. 7pm may be stupid in some people's eyes but it gives him a decent night's sleep, and gives us a peaceful evening.

Ah that's the thing, with DD1 early bed time didn't give me a peaceful evening.

Attempting to get her to bed before she wanted resulted in two hours of strop and an exhausted child who'd finally go to sleep between 9.30 and 10pm.

There are battles it is pointless to pick. You can't force DD1 to sleep or DD2 to eat.

And I suspect you can't get some children to sleep in in the morning. All you can do is survive until they can safely be left watching Cebbebies

starballbunny - brilliant! That is so true - is godsend when they are old enough to be put in front of telly while you sleep!

Personally can't wait til clocks go back as dd has clearly gone back already - cam't get to sleep at night no matter what we've done in the day, too tired in the mornings. If clocks were back this would all be fine- would be sleeping 8 - 7 rather than 9 ish - 8. And getting up at 8 is no good when there is school! (She is 5 - no hope of getting her to bed any earlier!)

I was dreading this too! I was wondering if the LO would realize or not. Good luck!

My son goes to sleep about 9-9.30 and wakes at before 7. Arrrrgh. If I put him to bed earlier he quite simply doesn't sleep and gets aggitated and wound up and then it's even worse. What I find helps slightly is being outdoors being energetic for as long as possible. If it rains find a good swimming pool or a surestart playscheme which has an indoor/outdoor option. They do exist in London I don't know about elsewhere. Or failing that a big softplay space.