Switching to daylight savings time can be a traumatic experience for
Montessori preschool children. They have had months to adjust to standard time and the sudden change can disrupt their circadian rhythms, leading to sleeplessness, increased stress, and other undesirable effects. These tips will help your child adjust to the change more gradually, making the time change easier to cope with.
Plan Ahead
Montessori preschool children prefer a regular routine to sudden change. Rather than a sudden schedule change, it is a good idea to work in the time change over the course of several days. One way to do this is to adjust your child’s bedtime by a few minutes each day. This allows her to become acclimated to the change and helps her circadian rhythm conform in a more natural way.
Expect Resistance
Even making the change gradually, your daughter may show signs of resistance such as emotional outbursts, drowsiness, and more. Be sympathetic to her position and talk to her about why she may be experiencing problems. Express some of your own problems with adjusting so that she understands that she is not alone in having to adapt to the change, giving her a sense of inclusion in a larger aspect of how the world works.
Stick With It
Even if she is having trouble adjusting, stick to the change once it has been made. You are not going to improve the situation by giving her “a few more days,” only prolonging the inevitable. Remember, the time change only happens twice a year, so the sooner she gets used to it, the easier it will be to deal with.
Learning About Daylight Savings Time
The time change is a great
opportunity for learning. Officially established in the U.S. in 1918, DST has been used throughout written history to help human beings make the most of the daylight hours as far back as the ancient Roman empire.
Learning the history of the change may not help your children adjust, but will give them some perspective on why it happens and reassurance that this is a normal process.
The most important thing you can do to prepare your child for daylight savings time is to be patient. You have had a lifetime to adjust and probably still suffer some minor adjustment issues, so don’t expect a small child to shrug it off without noticing.
