Beck Vass: What you need to know about daylight saving and kids

Some people prepare their kids by gradually adjusting bedtimes in the lead-up to the time change. Not me. Photo / Getty

Every year around this time, my kids get a bit loopy, I become even more unhinged and we wonder what the hell is going on. Then we realise - daylight saving is coming.

What that means for people with kids is that things get crazy.

My daughter, 4, and her brother, 2, had been fussy with their dinners and acting up.

I sent them to bed several nights in a row with no dinner because I was sick of arguing with them over food they refused to eat but had previously enjoyed.

It wasn't until a friend mentioned her kids were needing dinner at 4.30pm because they had been so tired that I realised what was going on.

In a few weeks 4.30pm becomes 5.30pm*. It gets me every six months yet I never remember.

Some people prepare their kids by gradually adjusting bedtimes in the lead-up to the time change.

Not me. I forget and get angry at my kids. I let them get so hungry and overtired they can't eat anything and then send them to bed. Super Mum!

My poor, starving children are now eating and going to bed an hour earlier.

This brief period of 6.30pm bedtime bliss is offset by them waking up earlier, which gives them more time in the morning to fight.

The other day, I was trying to get dressed when it started.

Despite them being told countless times not to slam doors, doors were slammed.

There was screaming.

Severed fingers this time, maybe?

"My arm got shut in the door," my girl sobbed. I looked at her arm and there was a white pinch line where it did indeed look like her arm had been shut in the door.

This is exactly why I tell you tiny crazies not to slam doors! And who the #^@k can even get their arm shut in a door anyway?

I got her an ice pack, dealt with her tears and went back to making the mistake of attempting to put some pants on.

This time there was a scream and a thud before my son started crying. He had been shoved by his sister and his head hit the floor. I moved the ice pack from her to him and told her off.

We were finally in the car ready to leave for daycare when I realised my son didn't have his precious bunny.

I went back upstairs and hunted for it. I searched everywhere, twice, then grabbed a stand-in toy.

Well, that was it: Tears streamed down his little face as I drove.

"I want Bunny. I want Bunny," he sobbed, breaking my heart just a little more each time.

As we got down the road, he pulled out the real killer: "I need a cuddle. I need a cuddle."

His evil sister laughed and taunted him: "Ha ha. You are sad."

So, I reached behind my seat and snatched her blankly away. "How would you like it if I was laughing at you saying 'ha ha you're sad' like you just did to him?"

I don't know if it taught her about empathy or scarred her for life, but it happened. I drove the rest of the way to daycare with both kids sobbing. Breathe.

* Daylight saving begins on Sunday September 24. May you retain some sanity.