DST, Ruining My Routine Once Again

I used to love "falling back." Turning the clocks back an hour meant an extra hour of sleep. Unfortunately, it doesn't work that way with children. I have never once enjoyed an extra hour of sleep with my girls around. Yesterday they slept until what would have been 7:30 am just the day before. Today, they were up before the alarm for school. The last few weeks have been great. It's been dark until about 7 am or so, and I've had to wake them up for school. Now that we have set the clocks back an hour, I'll be lucky if they make it to 6:30 am! The sun is now up earlier and I guess we will be, too! One of these days my daughters will understand the luxury of sleeping in. Until then, I'll just have to hope they continue to whisper when they wake up.

My DST Rant

Twice a year,  you get the privilege of reading my Daylight Savings Time Rant. I hate "falling back." When I was younger (ie: any time before kids), I appreciated the extra hour of sleep. I do not like the shorter days. I don't care if the sun comes up earlier, it goes down earlier, too, and it's no fun having it be dark by 5 pm. I like seeing the sun until well into the evening.
Now that I have children, there is no such luxury as an extra hour of sleep. They have their internal clocks programmed to "butt crack of dawn" year-round. Twice a year I am in a no-win situation. When we "spring forward," no one is ready for bed. When we "fall back," everyone is up way too early.
This time, though, I was ready. I knew just how to get that extra sleep. Thanks to our local library, on Saturday I armed myself with a copy of How to Train Your Dragon. After an afternoon at the park, a meal of make-your-own pita pizzas and a bubble bath, the girls were treated to our first every Movie Night. We popped pop corn and settled into the couch for the movie. By the time the movie was over, all four girls were bleary eyed and asking if they could go to bed. By "regular time" they stayed up almost an hour later than usual. They were up by 5:30 am. I wish I were joking. 5:30 am! Even without DST, it would have been 6:30 am, which is still earlier than they typically wake up on the weekends! 
So, for whatever reason, my plan was foiled. I am storing this, and other "early morning incidents" in my Mommy Memory Bank. Don't think I won't use this against them when they are teenagers and finally appreciate the luxury of sleeping in!

Daylight Savings Time... Or Why I Can't Sleep In

I understand the concept of Daylight Savings Time (DST). Still, I have to wonder if those who implemented DST had young children. The beginning and end of DST play major havoc with my schedule.
Saturday night Hubby and I kept our girls up a little later than usual... mainly because I was trying to clean up Tortilla after her latest barfing incident. I figured this would buy us some extra sleep, or at least make up for the extra hour. Yet at the crack of dawn Roo was up using the bathroom and asking if she could get up. Even the dark curtains in their room can't fool Roo into thinking she should still be sleeping. (Keep in mind this is the same girl who went to the bathroom at 9 p.m. and asked me if it was "wake up time.") Yesterday? Same story. This morning. Yep... up at least a half hour before she needed to wake up for school. I made her come in to my room and lay down so she wouldn't wake up her sisters. This, of course, simply made her sisters wander the hallway looking for her. Then, instead of getting ready for school, everyone wanted to climb in my bed to "rest." I can't win.
At this point it's not even a matter of sleeping in. I simply don't want to be up at 6 a.m. if we don't need to be. Growing up I loved "falling back" and having that extra hour of sleep on Sunday. Clearly someone needs to explain this to my daughters.
The good news? It is pitch black in their room by bedtime. They are out like a light. I guess I need to learn to find the positive in a sleepless situation.
(By the way, time is running out to enter the Skin MD Natural giveaway).