The Changing of the Clocks

This is the time of year that all parents with young children dread. As if we are going to have an extra hour in bed?! All it really means is that when they are supposed to wake up at 7am, they will wake at 6am instead. What a lovely start to the day!

Last night whilst putting Max to bed, I realised he was probably old enough to have this whole strange notion explained to him. The conversation went a little like this....

Me: "Now, Max, tonight the clocks are going to go backwards so when you wake up in the morning it will be a different time. I want you to stay quietly in bed until we tell you it's ok to get up."

Max (complete with thinking face): "What do you mean the clocks are going back?"

Me: "It means the clocks go backwards so when it is 7 'o' clock, it will really be 6 'o' clock."

Max: "Well, I'm going to stay up and wait for the hand on the clock to whizz backwards. Does it really go backwards?"

Me: "No, the clock doesn't go backwards. Time goes backwards." (And it was at this point I realised my mistake in attempting to explain it.)

Max: "How can Time go backwards? Does it mean we are outside of time?"

Me: "Errm, no, it just changes and goes backwards so we don't have dark mornings anymore."

Max: "Is space outside of time too? Who is really outside of time? Is it just God or is anyone else?"

At this rather deep and philosophical point, I gave up trying to explain.

Me: "Well, I don't know all those answers. I just want you to stay in bed in the morning quietly until we tell you it's time to get up."

And he did.