First day coping mechanisms

Any advice would be gratefully received. Has anyone yet really sussed how to get into US time quickly. My kids never sleep on the plane and so when we arrive at the hotel at 7pm US time (midnight at home) they are so cranky and miserable that they go to bed without eating anything. They then wake up at 3am (8am UK time) and continue this pattern for about the first week!

Any tips - apart from sedating them on the plane!

Trish

First day coping mechanisms

I always change my watch time as soon as i get on the plane at gatwick.

that seems to work for us.

First day coping mechanisms

I find jumping into the pool the best way to revive. And then staying up as long as is physically possible on the first night.

Yes,

cranky or not, give them something to eat and make them stay up a bit (it best to be outside if the sun is still shining). If each day, you manage to get them to stay up a bit longer, and sleep a bit longer. You may have to let them have afternoon naps fr this, but that%26#39;s my strategy for younger ones anyway. Spend as much time outside as possible in the sunshine for the first few days. The sunlight on your body regulates the chemical called melatonin which influences your sleep patterns.

It%26#39;s funny, but in our family it%26#39;s me up at 3am, and the kids sleep in now. the teenager aligns immediately, no problem.

And lastly, take advantage of being up early, and get to the parks before they actually open. They let you in, you can wander your way thru the shops etc on your way towards the most popular rides, then jump on as soon as the rides open. I find we can get thru many rides the first 90 mins this way. Animal Kingdom is an excellent park to see this way, as the Safari has long lines later in the day, and the animals are asleep by then. Last time we did this park we were ready to leave by 12:30 (pretty much seen and done everything) so went to BBeach nearby for the rest of the day!

at least getting up early you can enjoy the best part of the day

the first night we went to bed early and got up early, then after that they were fine

i have to agree that no matter how cranky they are don%26#39;t let them sleep until roughly 10ish. we first took our boys when the youngest was 4 and found that worked. we get them up around 7 the next morn and keep to this patern for a couple of days, they adapt really quick. we have never had a problem and trust me my boys like their sleep.

take them for a walk, a dip in the pool and then food.

shell

They need to get a nap in there somewhere...

I normally get a reasonable nap on the plane (2.5 to 3 hours or so) and that will tide me through to about 10pm Florida time. That isn%26#39;t easy for everyone to do, I know. I WILL wake up at about 5am or so the following morning, but that isn%26#39;t too bad: we tend to run on a fairly ';up early, to bed early'; routine on holiday (husband and I will get up at about 6.30am and go to bed about 10/10.30pm each day we are in the US...)

As amanx has said, try EVERYTHING to keep them awake until 9pm plus - they have MORE chance of sleeping through to a bit later.

However their body clocks will take some adjusting. Go out early and they get a good few hours to enjoy the parks and the excitment and they will probably be drowsey after lunch. Try a very early afternoon nap on the first day or so - just an hour, but a proper sleep in their own bed. If they sleep from about 1pm until 2pm, then a drink and a very small snack (biscuit or fruit or something to get their blood sugar moving again), then go out and do things (swimming, mini-golf etc). The nap should refresh them, make them less grumpy and help them stay up later. Do NOT let them nap for longer (no matter how much they moan and groan!) - if you let them sleep for 2 or 3 hours during the day it will really mess their body clocks up. Also make sure it is early afternoon - so they can get out and back into the sunshine and have a good ';half day'; left before bedtime. Doing this on the first day might be enough to rebalance things (see what time they get out the second day). If not, try it the second day too.

UCC

thanks for all the advice - I agree it is nice to get up early but I remember last time we went waiting for the breakfast area in our hotel to open at 5am for at least the first week! How sad is that!

Hopefully we will manage to stay up to see the fireworks before the last night of our holiday this time!

Trish

trish,

that%26#39;s one of the reasons I go condo- a cup of tea even if I wake at 3am, and brekkie whenever we want lol!

Agreed with amanx... good reason for a condo or villa - means that you can have what you want to drink/eat when you want it...

Also it means that one or more people can get up earlier or stay up late or nap without disturbing others or being disturbed... Husband runs his own business and tends to get up even earlier on holiday (about 4.30am - so 9.30am UK time) to keep in touch with the office for a couple of hours before I get up (sleeping from 10pm until 4.30am is enough sleep for him). So he can happily tap away on his laptop in the livingroom, whilst I am fast asleep in the bedroom...

UCC

i agree with a previous post, as soon as we board, i put my watch 5 hours behind.

Also on the morning of departure i get the kids up really early, so they tend to have a nap on the plane.

As much as you feel like going to bed when you get there, we go out and get something to eat and try and stay up till 9.30 - 10 pm.

First few days are great as you are up and out for the parks early.

chris