I'm taking my four year old to California for 4 days this week. Just trying to decide if I should keep her on EST or adapt to Pacific Time? Anyone have success with either? I always find it difficult to transition them back even when we're on the same time zone so I'm a bit nervous.

sweettea - just a warning...people who live in California generally hate people calling it Cali...so you may be bombarded. I always switch my watch, but I'm not sure about how a child would adjust for 4 days.

If you keep her on EST, she will go to bed at what 5 pm and be up at 3 am??

I'd go with local time.. put her to bed at 7pm the first night and go from there.

What's wrong with Cali? To me, it's just shorthand.

sounds like a drug cartell.

CA or Calif. is the usual abbreviation.

Didn't realize this board also served as a place for editorial critique. If anyone else has travel advice for me, I'd appreciate it. thx!

I gave you a suggestion, just like I did on your question about a place to stay in Westchester.

No one was giving an editorial critique. Just a suggestion. Relax, life is too short to get upset over something on here.

Not upset. Am very relaxed. Thanks for all of the suggestions. Just don't really need comments on anything other than topic at hand. For that I can consult other sites. No worries tho...

No need to be nervous. compromise by keeping your DD on MTN time and that way you'll only have to transition her 1.5 hours on return from Calif!

Actually, why not just live by Calif time and let her wake up and sleep however it comes naturally while there? I'd guess time zones will not be an issue compared to the effects of a five hour flight.

Maybe if you could get her to nap on the plane, even for a bit, she could stay up her first night in Calif. till her normal bedtime and by morning she should be on Calif time.

Are you coming to San Francisco? If you are, make sure to call it Frisco. Everybody around here does. Have a great trip!

I'd keep close to her usual schedule, maybe adjusting by an hour or so, and encourage her to sleep latr in the morning (it will be dark at 5 am so hopefully she won't wake up on EST). If you change her schedule completely to PST, you'll have to change it back when you get home.

As for what's worong with "Cali"---it sounds silly and poeple who live there don't like it. You were advised of this in a friendly and gentle way, and there was no call to react as you did.

Enough with the Cali!!! It was a header, it was typed quickly, for all anyone knows, it was a typo. And please...if I have offended anyone from this state, I am deeply sorry.

As a child of the 80's and a fan of LL Cool J I am insulted that you are insulted by the term "Cali".

"She's going back to Cali,
Cali,
Cali
She's going back to Cali...
ummm... I don't think so
(she says she likes the ocean ~~~)."

Cali is better then Cali-fawn-ya anyway.

Thank you from another 80s child.

It does sound stupid and I don't live there.