Daylight Savings...MISERY!

The sleep cycle of children is a fragile thing. Anything can throw it off. A movie night that goes past normal bedtimes, being ill, being stubborn (Can I have another glass of water?), and so many other things can upset your child's normal sleep patterns. Most especially those times of the year when the powers that be decide that we either need to gain an hour or lose one. (They obviously never had small children.)

When that hour gets added on or taken away, it disrupts the sleep of millions of children. Luckily for us they lack the skills necessary to organize and revolt. (At least, we hope they do.) My children have been surly, snarly, cranky, and worst of all whiny. (Well I feel that way right now too. But since I'm a "grown up" I have to just deal with it. Completely unfair.) My daughters have been reaching pitches that I swear only dogs can hear. What makes our children think that if they raise the pitch of their voice we will be more likely to get them what they want? I think that they know that it makes our teeth ache.

When whining does not give them the result they want, my daughters will resort to crying. (Don't they know me at all?) I usually end up sending them up to their rooms until they can stop crying and use their "big girl voices".  Parents should just prepare themselves for at least a week of misery after the time changes.

It is really not their fault. Our children have no control over when or why the time changes. They are tired. Some jerk in Washington (or where ever they decide these things) has messed with their routine. Since they can't rip him limb from limb, the person of authority closest to them must pay. (That means us, my fellow parents.) Children just can't adjust to changes that quickly. My oldest daughter was convinced that she was late for school on Monday because it was light out.

Let me tell you, trying to explain to a six year old child why the time had to change is not an endeavor I wish to repeat. Eventually, my children will adjust to the time change. Eventually, the whining, the wheedling, the snarkiness (A cross between snarly and cranky, just go with it.), and the fighting (Dear Lord, the fighting.) will stop. I will have my (somewhat) peaceful family again. I am patiently (again somewhat) awaiting that day, and dreading the next time change. God help us all when it comes.