How Did Your Family Use Today’s Extra Hour?

Today we saw the switch to Daylight Saving’s time, which theoretically meant mums and dads all over the UK could spend an extra hour in bed but is that what happened in your household? The idea behind ending British summertime and giving us all an extra hour is to ensure it is lighter in the mornings over the coming months, this originally helped early risers such as farmers but of course also means it is now ever so slightly brighter in the morning during the school run. Unfortunately, young children often don’t understand the finer points of turning the clocks back, which means very few parents are likely to have been able to lie in bed longer than usual this morning. Though according to one survey, most people to like to spend the time with their family with 46 per cent stating they were hoping to fit in some more family fun as a result of the clocks going back. Perhaps you used the time to have a special family breakfast, to head out on a walk or to cosy up and watch a family film? Whatever you opted for, you may be concerned that time alteration might have an impact on the carefully curated sleeping schedule of your little ones but worry not, we’ve gathered together a few tips to help them adjust to the new time for the season. Tips for getting kids to adjust to the new time When the clocks go back or forwards it can take a while for our circadian rhythm to adjust, which means babies and toddlers in particular will continue to rise an hour earlier than the clocks would dictate. You can help them adjust to the new time by ensuring they are extra tired in coming days to encourage them to lie longer. If they do struggle to stay in bed you may consider changing their new rising time in increments to help them adjust more gradually. What did you do during your extra hour? How do you help your children adjust to clock time changes? Do you have any tips to share?