The end of daylight saving time is almost here, and parents have a few days to get ahead of it. Clocks fall back one hour at 2 a.m. on Sunday, Nov. 1, 2026. For adults, that means an extra hour of sleep. For kids, it often means a few cranky mornings. Here are expert-backed tips to help children adjust to the time change, from gradual bedtime shifts to the power of morning sunlight.
Daylight Saving Time Ends: What Parents Need to Know
When clocks move back, a child who normally wakes at 6:30 a.m. may suddenly wake at what feels like 5:30 a.m. on the old schedule. Parenting expert Ericka Souter, quoted in a Yahoo News report, says most kids need a few days to adjust, sometimes up to a full week. She also reassures parents that crankiness, clinginess and appetite changes are common: “It’s normal, and it will pass.”
Option 1: The “Week Before” Method
Connecticut Children’s describes a gradual approach. Move your child’s bedtime about 15 minutes earlier on each night leading up to the change. For an 8 p.m. bedtime, that would be 8:15, 8:30, 8:45 and then 9 p.m. on the old clock, so that when the clocks change the 9 p.m. bedtime lands back at 8 p.m. If you want to start sooner, shift in smaller steps of 5 to 10 minutes. Adjust wake-up times and naps too.
Souter agrees that the whole schedule should move, not just bedtime: “Don’t just move bedtime. Start moving everything.” She suggests shifting meals, naps and wake times by about 10 to 15 minutes a day before the change.
Option 2: The “Weekend Of” Method
If you are short on time, Connecticut Children’s offers a last-minute plan. On Saturday night, change the clocks after your child is in bed. On Sunday morning, wake them at their usual Monday wake-up time, get them outside in sunlight for 30 to 60 minutes, and serve breakfast at the new time. Keep meals and naps on the new schedule that afternoon, and put them to bed on time with the usual routine. Expect about a week for full adjustment.
Tips That Work for Either Method
Lynelle Schneeberg, PsyD, quoted in the Connecticut Children’s guidance, says “Sleeping in on the weekend makes it much harder to go to sleep Sunday night,” and “Sunlight ‘talks’ to the brain and tells it that it’s time to wake up fully.” Based on that advice, try these steps:
- Wake your child at the same time every day, including weekends, and limit sleep-ins to about an hour past the weekday wake time.
- Get morning sunlight by placing the bed near an uncovered window or heading outside.
- Add light activity such as a dog walk or walking to the bus stop.
- Serve a protein-rich breakfast, such as an egg.
- Schedule something fun at wake-up time to encourage getting up.
Handling Early Wake-Ups
Swedish Pediatrics suggests setting expectations with toddlers and older children that an early hour is not the time to start the day, and that they can rest quietly in bed if they are awake. A color-coded clock can help: it stays red until it is time to wake and turns green when they can get up. Dr. Cole of Swedish advises parents to “give everyone some slack,” and expects families to get back on track within about a week. Keep the usual routine, such as bath, books, brushing teeth and bedtime, only at the new time, and limit screens before bed.
Halloween Week Bonus: Late Nights and Sugar
The time change lands right after Halloween, when bedtimes often slip. Our guide to Halloween safety for kids covers costumes and crossing the street, and the sleep research in our post on sleep and growth hormone shows why protecting bedtimes matters. A short, calm routine on Oct. 31 will make the following week easier.
Does Everyone Change Their Clocks?
Most of the country does. Arizona, apart from the Navajo Nation, and Hawaii do not observe daylight saving time, and neither do several U.S. territories. The American Academy of Sleep Medicine and the National Sleep Foundation have backed permanent standard time rather than permanent daylight saving time, citing health risks and sleep disruption. Until Congress acts, families will keep adjusting twice a year.
Quick Summary
Pick a method, start early if you can, move everything and not just bedtime, and use morning light. Within about a week, your child’s body clock should catch up. If sleep problems continue, talk with your pediatrician.
