Get children ready for Daylight Saving Time Sunday morning

We won't roll out the "daylight-saving-time-is-stupid-and-should-be-abolished" speech again this spring, although we believe the same arguments still hold.

But since it's inevitable that we'll have to lose an hour of sleep this Sunday morning, here are some tips to make Monday morning a little more tolerable for infants, toddlers and older children.

Ilissa Goman, Certified Child Sleep Consultant and founder of Binx Baby, offers a summary of ways to adjust your child's sleeping gradually before Daylight Saving Time sets in:

For babies/toddlers who are napping:

Starting today, put them down for their first nap 15 minutes earlier than your usual nap time. Do the same with their second nap (if they're on a two-nap schedule) and with bedtime.

On Friday, put them down for their first nap 30 minutes earlier than their normal time. Do the same with their second nap, if applicable, and with bedtime.

On Saturday, put them down for their first nap 45 minutes earlier than the normal time, same for the second nap and then bedtime.

By Sunday they will be almost adjusted and on time! Yippee!

Here's an example of times:

If your child usually wakes for the day at 6:30 a.m., naps at 8:30 a.m., naps at 12:30, and then bedtime at 6:30, your schedule on Thursday would be wake at 6:15 a.m., nap at 8:15 a.m., nap at 12:15.p.m., bedtime at 6:15 p.m.

For Older Children who don't nap:

Just go cold turkey! Let them get up and go to bed on their usual schedule. They will adjust naturally & easily within a few days.

Environment Changes:

With the time change and spring coming, there is more daylight streaming through the windows at bedtime. It is very beneficial to have your child's room as dark as possible as this makes the body release melatonin and makes for a deeper sleep state. Look for black out shades to use at night and for napping.

There might also be more outdoor noise from older children playing outside and eventually when summer rolls around neighborhood noise from parties/barbecues.

Goman suggests buying a white noise machine to play throughout the night to mask outside noises. Smartphone and tablet apps are also available to achieve the same result.

However, hearing experts are worried that white noise devices can cause hearing damage if they are played too loudly and too closely to your child's sensitive ears. Keep the machine across the room and make sure it is at a low enough level to be safe.

Check out more information at familysleepinstitute.com.