Daylight Saving Time Ends: Help Your Child Adjust

Your preschooler normally wakes around 6 a.m., which may already feel early enough. What you probably do not want is seeing them standing beside your bed at 5:03 a.m., completely awake and ready to start the day.

In most of the United States, daylight saving time ends on Sunday, November 1, 2026. The clocks move back one hour, so a child whose body is used to waking at 6 a.m. may initially feel ready to wake around 5 a.m. by the new clock.

The good news is that you still have time to make the change easier.

Start Shifting Bedtime a Little Later

If your child usually goes to bed at 7:30 p.m., you do not need to suddenly move bedtime by a full hour.

Instead, shift bedtime about 15 minutes later every couple of nights in the days before the clock change. You can do the same with dinner, bath time, and the rest of the evening routine so your child’s whole schedule moves gradually rather than all at once.

For example, bedtime might move from 7:30 to 7:45, then 8:00, depending on how your child is coping.

If your child already struggles to settle at night, preschooler keeps getting out of bed may help you make the bedtime routine more predictable before changing the timing.

Do Not Rush In at the First Early Wake-Up

If your child wakes at 5 a.m. after the clocks change, try not to immediately treat it like morning.

Keep the room dark, keep your voice quiet, and avoid turning on bright lights, television, or a tablet. If your child is safe and comfortable, encourage them to stay in bed or rest quietly for a little longer.

You might say, “It is still sleep time. We will get up when it is morning.”

The goal is to avoid accidentally teaching their body that 5 a.m. is now the new start of the day.

Use Morning Light to Help Reset Their Body Clock

Once it is actually time to start the day, open the curtains and get your child into natural daylight if possible.

Morning light helps the body adjust to a new sleep schedule. Even a short walk, time in the garden, or playing near a bright window can help reinforce that this is when the day begins.

Try to keep meals, naps, and bedtime close to the new schedule as well. Children often adjust more easily when the rest of the day remains predictable.

Be Careful With Screens Before Bed

A difficult screen transition right before bedtime can make an already disrupted sleep schedule harder.

Try to finish screens before the bedtime routine begins and move into something calmer such as a bath, pajamas, or reading together.

If switching off the television or tablet regularly causes a battle, child meltdown when screen time ends offers practical ways to make that transition easier.

Expect a Few Uneven Days

Some children adjust quickly to the clock change, while others may wake early or seem tired for several days.

You do not need to completely redesign their routine because of one difficult morning. Keep bedtime, wake time, meals, and morning light as consistent as you can while their body clock catches up.

If your child continues waking unusually early for several weeks, seems extremely tired during the day, snores loudly, or has other ongoing sleep concerns, speak with their pediatrician.

For most families, the best approach is simple: start shifting the routine gradually this week, keep early mornings dark and boring, use plenty of morning light once the day begins, and give your child a few days to adjust to the new clock.