Daylight Saving Time ends Sunday, November 5th, when we “fall back” an hour as the clock strikes 2 a.m. It’s welcome news for those who enjoy that extra hour we gain each fall. But if you’re not a fan of earlier sunsets during the coldest months of the year, you’re not alone. Barrington mother-of-two and author of A-Life-From-Scrach.com is right there with you…
The End of Daylight Saving
by Courtney Glantz, Author, A-Life-From-Scratch.com
And just like that, it’s the month of November and the end of Daylight Savings is upon us.
You guys. I can not. CAN NOT. Hold me close and rock me hard, please.
I literally dread this exact moment from when daylight saving times begins. This year it was March 11th and it was my actual favorite day. We got to be real live humans in sunlight for more than like, an hour. I’m not even being dramatic. When you have children and they are in school all day and then they come home and have only thirty seven minutes of light to play outside it feels like you have only one hour of daylight for your entire day. It is a REAL FEELING.
I know what you’re thinking. (Or ok, maybe just what I was thinking). Throw them outside in the darkness! Oh but I have, I have. But then they get all whiny because they can’t see their baseballs or footballs or tennis balls or basketballs or bouncy balls and I’m like I DON’T CARE PLAY ANYWAYS and then someone gets whacked in the head with a (plastic) bat, because we CAN’T SEE MOM, and they are suddenly pouring back into my home demanding to be fed. Again. It has been precisely sixteen minutes since their last feeding. (My boys, ages 5 and 11, pretty much eat hourly from the hours of 3:00-8:00PM. Cluster feeding, if you will. But that is an entirely separate issue).
Why.
Why.
I suppose I should be a bit happier this year. Remember that messed up world in which the end of daylight saving and Halloween fell within the same weekend? That was a treat. And by treat I mean nightmare. Not only did we all have to deal with beyond sugared up kids (demons), but we all had to mess with our sleep schedules. Such a winning combo in the parenting world. I’m telling you, it is NOT FAIR. People that make up this stuff want to see parents suffer. I feel like they are laughing at us. Who are they? Do they have kids? They can not. I’m going to look that up.
When B was a baby and toddler (which was a whole three years of his life) he liked to grace me with his presence around 4:45AM. I wanted to actually die. But you know what made that experience even that more lovely? When we had to turn back our (bad word that begins with an F) clocks because SOMEONE HAS TO FARM and suddenly it was 3:45AM and I’m all ‘is it day? Is it night? Who am I? What is this baby and why is it crying for me?’ I don’t even know. I was a literal walking zombie. Oh hey there kiddos, happy Halloween! From the mom that legit looks like death, no costume needed.
Now at least I have normal aged children who, for the most part, can adjust their sleep patterns like decent beings with souls but here is the new problem. Let me tell you.
The activities. (And social plans).
See, I sort of have this thing where I HATE leaving the home if it is dark. I’m not scared of the dark. I don’t mind driving in the dark. I can see just fine. To put it in it’s most purest form: I just want to go to bed. Yes, at 4:10, when the sun sets. If that makes me depressed so be it but find me one person that would choose driving children around in the freezing cold and pitch black over being cuddled up in bed BECAUSE IT IS PITCH BLACK. I bet you can’t find one.
It’s hard for me to get motivated to even do fun stuff like girls dinners! and events in the city! and family fun! because again, IT IS PITCH BLACK. I realize this sort of puts, well, restrictions on social plans but I promise for the months of March, April, May, June, July, August, September, and (part of) October I more than make up for it. I am a lovely person who is capable of going out for activities and fun. I am very nice then. Enthusiastic, even. I like people in general more, including my own kids because, oh, they are outside.
I also feel like this whole hate on November thing is getting worse with age. I honestly don’t really remember dwelling on it at all in my 20’s. I was still so innocent. Still fun. Now I’m like a haggard old lady that is stock piling fuzzy robes and buying candles that say ‘let’s stay home.’ Amen.
I do have one little secret to getting me through these dark and cold months. It doesn’t always help, especially with the Monday – Friday grind, but, it takes the edge off and maybe it will help you should you also suffer the November blues: entertaining keeps me sane(ish). These dreaded months force us indoors. They force us together. For so many the entertaining season seems to naturally be summer. But for me, it is so winter. It’s make the best beef bourguinon in the world (I’m serious, it is the actual best and making it will solve all your problems in life) in an old red pot and invite over some favorite people and open the wine you were saving because there is no better time. It’s 19 degrees and darker out than your morning coffee. This is how I survive. I literally cook my way through these dreaded months and appreciate the deeper connections that are formed over the table set with hearty food and lit white tea candles and crusty bread and dreamy deep wines and striped linens. Bonus that the fire will always be roaring, mainly because it is gas with artificial logs.
So bear with me family. Bear with me friends. Bear with me coaches. I may not see you as much as other months but I promise, if you come over, I will cook up something pretty spectacular.
And I’ll even change out of my robe.
About the Author
Barrington writer and mom of two boys, Courtney Glantz, shares stories of what is happening in her kitchen and home on the oh so authentic lifestyle blog, A Life From Scratch.
Follow along at A-Life-From-Scratch.com to read about what Courtney’s cooking, her thoughts on motherhood, her Sunday meal plan line ups, gift ideas, home design and entertaining tips, fashion favorites and more!
