How do you handle the time change with your LO?

[maritaysa]

Our time change will only be 2 hours, but I would really like to make things as easy on our Baby Belle as possible. How do you handle the time change withyour LO when cruising? Our LO will be 13 months at cruise time. I was thinking about keeping her on her schedule. She currently goes to bed at 8pm PT, which will be 10pm CT. She wakes at 7am PT, which will be 9am CT. Wouldn't that be nice?!? However, not sure how realistic it would be.

[Pikaia]

Our efforts to try to adjust our kids before traveling from Eastern to Pacific time have never worked. To tell the truth, it doesn't work so well on me either. I've given up. We just go with the flow when we get there. :D

 

Once you've arrived, getting full sunshine early in the day helps to reset your internal clock.

[cb at sea]

You kind of need to be a bit flexible with schedules on vacation....once home, you'll fall back into your "routine"...just see how it goes!

[maritaysa]

Thank you for the info----we will play it by ear.

[B_Mc]

It sounds like keeping her on "home time" will work really well for a cruising schedule, so that would be my plan! We've done it 2 ways - 1 hr time change, we didn't try to get DS to adjust at all, just kept him on his own "time" even thought it was a nightmare for dinner in the MDR. When we've traveled to California (twice now) and it was a 3 hr difference, we get him to take an extra nap on our first full day there, and then go to bed at his usual time PST. Fortunately the big day of traveling home usually exhausts him so he's tired and quick to get back onto our normal home time within one day.

 

I find "go with the flow" doesn't work for my kid. He thrives on his routine and the more consistent it is, the better he sleeps. Pushing off a nap to do something fun usually ends up in a shorter nap and a cranky kid. But I also know lots of kids who are far more flexible.....depends on your kid's style, right?

 

When we're dealing with time zones and travel, I like to make sure we have one full day at home to adjust before jumping back into our usual routine of work, daycare, etc. So I always aim to be home on Saturday! Our Adventure cruise will get us home on Sunday so I'll plan Monday as a lounge at home day before sending him back to daycare on Tuesday!

 

HTH!

[Pikaia]

I find "go with the flow" doesn't work for my kid.

Actually, what I meant by "go with the flow" is that we as parents follow our kids' cues. If they need rest, we adjust our ideas of how the day should go, and let them get their needs met. If they're up early, then we get up early too. Sure, we'll wake 'em up if we're being kicked off the boat at the end of the cruise, but otherwise we stay as flexible as possible. :D

[TheCalicoCat]

Actually, what I meant by "go with the flow" is that we as parents follow our kids' cues. If they need rest, we adjust our ideas of how the day should go, and let them get their needs met. If they're up early, then we get up early too. Sure, we'll wake 'em up if we're being kicked off the boat at the end of the cruise, but otherwise we stay as flexible as possible. :D

 

Ditto!

[beanersmom]

Funny, I was just going to post this!! We are leaving on Sunday and coming from the West Coast of Canada. By the time we arrive to our 1st or 2nd port it will be a 4 hour difference....YIKES!!!! I am thinking I should just go with the flow too. My DS is just 2 and will be sleeping in a "bed" for the first time as well. Hope it doesn't turn into a nightmare!!

[Mom2B&Z]

I think it also depends on what is happening when you get home. If you have a few days to get your little one back onto your usual schedule, then you don't have to worry. If you all have to go back to work/daycare the day after you get home, I'd strongly consider keeping her at least close to her usual routine, otherwise the week you get home could be interesting.:rolleyes:

[TheCalicoCat]

I think it also depends on what is happening when you get home. If you have a few days to get your little one back onto your usual schedule' date=' then you don't have to worry. If you all have to go back to work/daycare the day after you get home, I'd strongly consider keeping her at least close to her usual routine, otherwise the week you get home could be interesting.:rolleyes:[/quote']

 

My poor son has to get up earlier than he wants "normally" so... & Yet, I do feel better that we have 3 days after our red-eye flight in which we all need to get ready to get back to the grind.

[scarlett81]

Well, we're heading to Istanbul which is 7 hrs later than here...so...

I've decided I am not going to fight it. We're going with the flow. Its for this reason we're headed to our port 3 days prior to the cruise.

If the kids need to crash we're just going to let them. We got a nice hotel room-we'll just enjoy it.

[Kerry's Girls]

Well, we're heading to Istanbul which is 7 hrs later than here...so...

I've decided I am not going to fight it. We're going with the flow. Its for this reason we're headed to our port 3 days prior to the cruise.

If the kids need to crash we're just going to let them. We got a nice hotel room-we'll just enjoy it.

 

Our first big time-change trip (Los Angeles - London) I followed all the tips about adjusting to the time change and it was just miserable both on the trip and then on the return. Ever since, I've just let my girls adjust naturally - waking up late, staying up late. It becomes one of the fun parts of the trip - that they get to stay up so long after dinner.

 

The one thing I will not do again though is let them sleep during the day when we land. I did that once and we never ended up getting even close to the correct timing (we were up late at night and sleeping all day). It's been much better since we make the effort to not nap on arrival but instead do something low key like take a walk, go to a park, etc. Usually the excitement of the new city helps keep them up even when exhausted from travel.

 

Have an amazing time - I'm so envious about Istanbul!

 

Best,

Mia