The clocks go forward an hour this Sunday, March 27th.
And while we mums can cope with one hour's less sleep and a changing body clock, kids often find it tougher.
But there are a few things you can do to make the transition as pain-free as possible...
Make bedtime later...gradually
A few days before the clocks change, start making your child's bedtime later by around 15 minutes per night.
This will make the transition less noticeable to yur little ones. Meanwhile, for kids having naps, wake them five minutes earlier from the last nap to accommodate this.
Keep the day before busy
If you can't change your child's bedtime the weekend before, try to have a busy day with plenty of activities the day before.
Get out and about walking, cycling or playing football - it doesn't matter what you do, as long as it involves a lot of energy!
Enforce a bedtime wind down
The temptation to let them charge around so they wear themselves out can often have the reverse effect as they get too hyped up and can't sleep.
Once they've been bathed and fed, encourage quiet play or read them a story: anything to calm their body and mind.
Reduce light coming into the room
There's no need for blackout blinds or anything, but it's wise not to let too much light stream through the bedroom window.
Close the curtains before they get ready for bed so the lights are kept low, as it will help them to wind down for sleep.
Plus, place your child facing away from the window.
Find a visual aid for bedtime
If your child is above two, you can introduce a visual aid that lets them nkow when it is sleep time, and when they can get up.
Known as a sleep training clock, it's basically just a small light on a timer. The light goes off when you say good night, and doesn't come on again until it's an acceptable time to rise and shine.
Forget about the "old time"
Too many people get caught up in thinking about the "old time" and "new time" after the clocks change.
This is a bad idea. How you think about things affect how easy or difficult they are for you, so focus on the here and now.
Be realistic
Kids need time to adjust to change, even little things like the clocks changing. So give them time to do this. It could take a week or two, but they will adjust.
To encourage them to get there quicker, make sure you're consistent in your approach in settling to sleep and waking early.
If your child wakes early, encourage them to stay in bed quietly and wait for their 'light' to come on. Don't get into conversations. In other words, treat 5.30am like 3am, and put them back to bed.
