How NOT to Survive the Time Change (with kids)

It’s 3 days in to the time change and I can’t get a grip. For 3 days I’ve felt like I’m playing catch up to the time. Yesterday, naptime caught me so off guard that I spent the 10 minutes before running around doing everything I usually take my time doing in the hour before. And I live for naptime!

I’m usually better organized. I always knew when a time change was coming. I was ready, but always failed at getting the kids ready. Oops.

This time, it was Thursday and my husband said, “Oh, it’s time for daylight savings this weekend.”

What????? I don’t think so!

Sadly, it was true. I could only hope for the best.

Somehow, my daughter, who wakes around 6 every morning, woke up at 6 on the dot, even with the time change. My husband got up with her as he usually does. Me? I somehow slept until 8 and woke to normal chaos.

Okay, it looks promising. The kids are following their routine with zero problems. Indeed, they didn’t even seem to notice! My son usually takes a week to adjust, but, this time, he’s doing better than me!

As for me? I’m totally confused. Snack time? Wait, didn’t you just have breakfast? No? Guess it must just be me. Naptime? Wait, where are your books?! Bedtime? Isn’t it kind of early? Oops, not according to the clock.

I have always gracefully navigated time changes. I always got myself  on schedule Sunday morning. I was awake and alert and taking charge of my sluggish, whiny family.

But not this time. I totally failed. I can’t catch up to the clock. I over-compensated today and was ready for naptime an hour early. Not fun anticipating naptime when my toddler is still bouncing!

So, what went wrong?

1. Not knowing it was coming. I knew it was already March, knew to expect it. And completely failed.
2. Got sick. Yup, another round of colds. It started with my son on Friday. He actually did well with the time change, maybe because he was well enough to do things, but not well enough to fight us. Then I got sick on Monday and it’s been one fog after another.
3. Not sleeping through the night. Okay, I’ve been there before. But my daughter is an unpredictable sleeper and some nights she just wants to play for 2 hours. Hence why the husband gets up with her at 6.
4. No sun. I’m a SoCal girl. I rely on my sun. But it’s been rainy, gloomy, cloudy, and gray since Saturday. I am NOT coping well with this lack of sun.

Somehow, though, we are getting through the day. What saves me? Alarms. A few months ago, my son insisted on having an alarm for just about everything. He wouldn’t even have lunch if the alarm didn’t go off! Thankfully, I still have them so at least I know what’s going on.

But, seriously, I’m floundering here.

Now, I’m off to go smash a clock.