This Sunday, November 1, at 2 AM, daylight saving time ends. Since the clock will turn back to 1 AM, adults enjoy an extra hour of sleep.

However, for families with children, it's a different story. The body clock remains the same, but the wall clock is set back, causing a child who usually wakes up at 6:30 AM to suddenly rise at 5:30 AM and roam around the living room.

A few years ago, I faced this issue without any preparation and struggled with early wake-ups for a whole week. Since then, I always start adjusting a few days in advance.

So today, I'll summarize how to answer the question, "What should we do?" Since it's Monday, there's still plenty of time.

First, let's go over the basic principle. Since we turn the clock back in the fall, we need to gradually shift the child's schedule later.

The goal is for the child to wake up at the usual time according to the new clock on Sunday morning. If your child currently goes to bed at 8 PM, you'll need to adjust their rhythm to effectively put them to bed at 9 PM.

The reason for this is that children have a much more regular body clock than adults. It's normal for them to feel sleepy and hungry at the same times every day.

If you try to shift the schedule by an hour all at once, the child won't be able to handle it. Pediatric sleep experts often recommend moving the schedule by just 15 minutes each day for a day or two.

Here's how to adjust the schedule for this week: on Tuesday night, put the child to bed 15 minutes later than usual, on Thursday 30 minutes later, and on Friday 45 minutes later.

On Saturday night, put them to bed nearly an hour later and set the clock back before they sleep. This way, Sunday morning will start off feeling similar to usual.

There's an important point here: if you only shift the bedtime, the effect will be half-hearted.

Make sure to push back the entire bedtime routine, including dinner, bath time, and reading, by 15 minutes as well. If your child takes naps, it's also good to adjust the nap start time.

You should also pay attention to morning wake-up times. If the child wakes up early and you immediately turn on the lights and start the day, their body will remember that time as morning.

Keep the room as dark as possible and let them lie quietly until it's time to get up. For younger children, using a sleep clock that changes colors can help establish a rule like "come out when the light turns green."

Light management is actually the most powerful tool. Make sure they get plenty of sunlight in the morning and lower the lighting in the evening to help shift their body clock.

Once the clock changes, the sun sets much earlier. In my neighborhood, the sunset on November 1 is just before 5 PM, so after school and playtime, it gets dark quickly.

Therefore, starting next week, try to move outdoor playtime after school to earlier in the afternoon if possible. Afternoon sunlight actually helps with evening sleepiness.

Conversely, it's better to reduce screen time from tablets or TVs in the evening. When it gets dark earlier and the nights feel longer, children tend to seek out screens more.

It's also worth checking the recommended sleep times by age. According to the American Academy of Sleep Medicine (AASM), children aged 1-2 need 11-14 hours of sleep per day, including naps, while those aged 3-5 need 10-13 hours.

For ages 6-12, the recommendation is 9-12 hours, and for teenagers aged 13-18, it's 8-10 hours. These recommendations are also supported by the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP).

Teenagers might actually find this change a bit easier. They tend to lean towards going to bed late and waking up late, so shifting the clock back an hour isn't too difficult for them.

However, if they have a habit of sleeping in on weekends, please ensure they stick to their usual wake-up time this weekend. It will make Monday morning much easier.

If you haven't been able to adjust in advance this week, don't worry too much. Just stick to the new meal and sleep times starting Sunday, and most children will adapt within a week.

During that week, your child may be a bit more sensitive and irritable. In such cases, it's good to lower your expectations for schedules and keep weekend plans light for family peace.

If you have a baby, try to gradually shift feeding times as well. If feeding times remain the same, the baby will eventually wake up hungry at the old times.

Here's a checklist I use: start shifting bedtime by 15 minutes from Tuesday, push back dinner and bath time, and ensure morning sunlight exposure.

Then, turn the clock back on Saturday night and open the curtains right away on Sunday morning. Just following these five steps can make a significant difference.

By the way, while phones and computers change automatically, you'll need to manually adjust the microwave, oven, and car clocks. Don't forget the sleep clock in the child's room; if you miss this, the whole routine can get messed up.

Honestly, adjusting twice a year can be a bit of a hassle. There have been ongoing discussions about legislation to eliminate time changes, but nothing has been confirmed yet, so the clocks will still change this Sunday.

Ultimately, adjusting your child's sleep is more about making small adjustments of 15 minutes rather than a big decision. This week, try to take dinner a bit slower and shift the rhythm together with your child.