Daylight savings time starts this Sunday, which means putting our clocks forward an hour and adjusting our morning routines. This can be a challenge for anyone, families included. Here are some tips for creating a healthy morning routine for your family you can use all year round.

• Remember that children need more sleep than adults, so make sure their bedtime allows for eight to ten hours of sleep each night.¹ You may want to have a “lights out” policy that makes sure everyone is in bed and ready for sleep at a particular time.²
• Transition your child from waking to sleeping by setting aside half an hour before bedtime to wind down. Winding down can involve quiet activities like reading or listening to music.¹
• In the morning, get up fifteen or twenty minutes before your children to get up. This will give you time to take care of your own morning tasks before you need to help your children complete theirs.¹
• Talk to your child about what’s expected of him or her each morning. Creating a chart with items like “ brush teeth” or “make bed” can help your child stay on track.¹

1. Garret D. Evans, Time Management for Kids, FCS2111, Gainesville: University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, 2015, https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/he795
2. Randall A. Cantrell, Improve Savings, Health, and Happiness by Modifying How the Family Operates the Home, FCS3311, Gainesville: University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, 2015, https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/fy1322

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