Daylight Savings Time 2012 is upon us! Saturday night we went back to standard time by “falling back” an hour. If you forgot to do this you will be 
sadly surprised when you may have arrived at work an hour early on Monday. Been there, done that! Discovering that you have made it through the chilly, dark morning to find you’re early and your Nanny Family is still sleeping is a grave disappointment!
It takes a while to get used to this change. Not only does it play a part in your time schedule but it has effects on your body and mind. Morning light peeking through the blinds helps my brain know it is time to wake up. Sunshine has a way of saying “rise, shine, and meet your fabulous day”. We are now waking to darkness, cold, brisk, darkness. It’s hard to get your gears grinding without that extra push from the sun. Be sure to monitor your feelings during the coming weeks/months of standard time. Suicide rates increase and depression can worsen. Some people require a Vitamin D supplement in order to feel happy during the winter months. Remember that even 10 minutes of outdoor sunshine is known to improve your mental outlook during this season. If you are a person who has a tendency to suffer depression please talk to your doctor for ideas on how to handle this. One handy tip is to give yourself something to look forward to or start a class or hobby you enjoy. Remember that Vitamin D also helps are bodies fight off winter colds. Learn more about Vitamin D by reading this link.http://www.self.com/fooddiet/
We are Nannies. We work hard, we play hard, and we provide service to our families. Many of us go home after work and do the whole thing over again with our own families and pets. Nannies seem to be naturally sleep deprived because we go above and beyond taking care of other people. Time change can disturb our sleep and chronobiological rhythms. Try to counteract this by taking a nap on the weekends or ensuring you have down time while your charges are sleeping. This may help to combat the sleep deficit. We are “falling back” on time and we don’t want you to “fall out” so get a proper sleep regime and try to stick to it.
Your charges may be affected by the time change as well. Babies, toddlers and school aged children can be thrown off balance by the switch from less sunlight time. Be active in talking with your employers and other Nannies on how to help our young sleepers keep a healthy schedule. Visit this website for helpful advice http://www.meetmums.ie/blog/
Pedestrian injuries and fatalities rise as we go back to standard time as well. As our bodies are off rhythm and darkness falls at evening rush hour more people and cars are out in the dark hours at the same time. Keep alert, watch for fatigued drivers and overtired pedestrians. Curb your road rage and play it safe!
Public health and safety officials try to train us to check our smoke alarms and carbon monoxide detectors as we are changing all of the clocks in our home. Remind your employers of this safety reminder and do the same in your home.
We want to keep all of our Nannies and Families safe, happy, and rested this winter!
Tracey Chipps has been a Professional Career Nanny for 18 years. During her career she has worked with a variety of types of families. She has experience with typically developing children as well as those with special needs. Tracey is the founder of Triangle Area Nanny Group (T.A.N.G.) in Durham, NC. If you would like more information on joining T.A.N.G, please email TANGnanny (at) gmail (dot) com . In the Spring of 2012 Tracey acquired her business license for Nanny 919, LLC, and is anxiously awaiting the grand opening.
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