Dear Daylight Savings Time,
I have a bone to pick with you. Let me start off by saying that I treasure my sleep, and I need to catch some shut eye so I can remain a calm and patient mom during my hectic days. My kids take after their mama, and they need a solid 8 hours of peaceful sleep in order to act like civilized human beings the next day. Because of this, you really put a cramp in my style.
You try and fool us with your cute little saying, “Fall back, spring forward,” because you know good and well that we have been going through a freezing cold winter and anytime we hear the word “spring” we can’t help but longingly think warm and fuzzy thoughts. However, you have not fooled me this year. I know what comes with this not so fun spring forward.
You see, I have three young children, none of whom have a clear concept of time nor do they possess any clock reading abilities. This makes the weeks following your silly time change a heinous time in my life. My kids will still insist on going to bed at their usual time, however, now I will have to wake them up an hour earlier. Tonight when I try to convince my sweet and precious angels to go to bed an hour early they are going to fight it.
Oh boy, are they going to fight it.
Therefore, my children will end up being even more sleep deprived. Do you know what lack of sleep does to children? Do you know the fits that they will throw at bedtime or when they wake up? They will lose their minds! Do you know the arguments we will have, or the play dates that will be spoiled, all because of you? Clearly you do not have small children because, if you did, then you would understand what a rare and precious commodity sleep is.
I just wanted to take a moment to say I despise you. I understand the logistics, and I fully understand your purpose. But I don’t think you understand the chaos you bring into my life. You bring tears, fights, crying, and whining because my little ones don’t comprehend time changes, or anything pertaining to time (unless it concerns screen time, that is).
I am bracing myself for the swift kick in the pants that you will give to our sleep schedule. As if the time change wasn’t enough, you have to start the night before we have to get up at the crack of dawn to go to church, no less! You cannot begin to comprehend the three ring circus our household becomes trying to get three tired and cranky kids out the door in the morning!
However, life must go on. We mamas still have our busy lives scheduled, and we have places to go. We have school, work, daycare and places to be, and you know we will be there with our kids all in tow. However, now we will arrive with an extra layer of concealer covering up the bags under our eyes, and a second (or third) cup of coffee in our mugs.
I do suppose eventually we will adjust. We will thoroughly enjoy the extra hour of daylight for playing outside in the warmer weather. Eventually we will adapt to the new time change, but until then, I am contemplating taking the plunge and making the move to Arizona where I can be time change free, and I will bask in the sun all year round.
Sincerely,
A Mama Who’s Just Wanting A Little Shut Eye
