One of the biggest concerns for parents when it comes to traveling a long distance with children is how they will handle the drive and the airplane ride. But what happens after you land and the time zones are completely different? Do you let your baby remain in their usual routine, even if this means going to bed at midnight local time? Or do you help them adjust to the new time zone for the time being?
How you choose to tackle the time zone difference will depend on a number of things. Consider:
How long will you be gone for?
If you are only going for a short period of time it might be easier to keep your child on a similar routine. This may mean going to bed at midnight and getting up at 10am but if it’s only for a little while, then does it really matter?
How old is the child?
New babies sleep a lot during the day anyway so it might make sense to keep them on the same time zone and then tackle ‘night and day’ distinction when you get back
How different is the time zone?
Are we talking three hours or ten hours difference?
What is your routine like?
If you have a jam packed schedule on holidays, then it may be a good idea to get your child into the right time zone so they aren’t sleeping in or missing out on the scheduled activities you have planned. However, if you are taking a leisurely holiday then it might be nice to have your baby actually sleep in for once!
Making the Time Zone Adjustment
If you do choose to make the adjustment to the new time zone, then begin a few weeks in advance. Start by adjusting bedtime by 15 minutes every night before you go. Make sure you are adjusting according to the time zone. If you are heading to Europe then you will want to adjust your baby’s bedtime slightly earlier; if you are flying to America, then you will want to adjust bedtime a little later each night.
Try to schedule a plane ride that works with your baby’s sleep routine. If you are flying a long distance, night flights actually work quite well as you can put your baby to sleep on the plane and hopefully they will sleep similar to how they do at home.
Make use of the day light, even if this is normally night time. Keep the windows open and expose your child to sunlight to keep them awake for longer. Keep the room as dark as possible at night to help them make the transition.
Try not to let sleep, routine or lack of either ruin your holiday. It is inevitable that your baby’s sleep habits are going to be disrupted and that they will become overtired, overstimulated and confused. The good news is that when you return home, it will generally only take three days to one week to get them back into a normal routine again.
