Before the first night
Check the model name on your clock, then find its instructions on the clock pages. Set it up yourself before introducing the cue. Find how to change the time, turn the wake cue on and stop any alarm you do not want.
Agree with the other adults on what the morning signal means. Does it mean you come in, or that your child can come to you? Choose wording that fits your home and your child's abilities. If you are unsure whether the idea makes sense yet, read when to introduce a wake cue.
Show and practise the cue
During the day, show the actual light or symbol and describe the action that goes with it. For example: ‘When this face is awake, come and find me.’ Ask your child to show you what they would do. Pointing or pretending is useful too; this is not a test of color names.
Use the preview described in your clock's instructions. Nanit Sound + Light has a sound-and-light preview while making a routine. That does not mean another clock has the same preview. Avoid resetting or unplugging the clock as a demonstration.
If your child is unsure, explain again while you are together. If the cue is upsetting, pause. There is no need to make the first morning a test they must pass.
Choose the first setting
Begin with the morning routine you are already using. Write down when your child usually wakes and when an adult is available. Choose the first cue time around the routine you can explain and support, rather than a hoped-for weekend lie-in.
Enter your chosen time, check morning versus evening, and make sure the wake cue is enabled. A saved time and an enabled cue are different things. On MELLA, check the schedule toggles; on Groclock, the caregiver starts the selected mode.
The schedule planner keeps your chosen times and flags unsupported modes. It does not choose a bedtime or program the clock.
What to do before the wake cue
Decide what quiet choices are suitable for your child and room. An older child might look at a picture book while an adult is nearby. Choose only an activity and objects you already know are safe for your child. Being awake is not a failure to follow the clock.
When your child comes to you early, check what they need before pointing to the light. Then use the agreed short explanation and offer the quiet choice if it still fits the moment. Avoid turning ‘wait for the light’ into ‘you cannot ask for me’.
When your child notices the cue or follows the agreed action, acknowledge that specific action: ‘You saw the face change and came to find me.’ Acknowledge understanding, not extra minutes asleep.
Help comes before the light
Say this clearly: ‘If you are hurt, scared, feel ill, need the bathroom or need help, call me or come to me straight away.’ Adapt how to get help to your child's abilities and sleeping space. Never use the cue to withhold needed care or prevent your child from reaching an adult.
Practise the help route as well as the morning route. Tell a grandparent or babysitter which adult responds. If the clock stops, use your household fallback and explain that the light is unavailable.
Changing the time later
If the cue time needs to change, explain the new morning plan when your child is calm. Keep its meaning familiar. Decide the pace with your household; there is no universal interval on this page.
Change the clock setting and the caregiver sheet together, then check the cue is still enabled. For separate weekend times, confirm whether your clock supports another schedule. Repeated early waking is a reason to review the whole situation, not keep pushing the light later.
Review what actually happened
Choose a time to compare notes with the other caregiver. Did the clock show the right cue? Could your child see and understand it? Was the agreed quiet choice workable? Did your child know how to get help? Review those separately from when your child woke.
If the cue did not run, or it ran correctly and mornings are still difficult, follow the clock troubleshooting guide. Speak with your child's clinician about continuing sleep concerns.
Leave a cue card for the next caregiver
Write the actual signal, what it means, quiet choices, who responds to help, and the words each caregiver will use. Include your preview plan, what to do if the clock stops and when you will revisit the routine.
Make the card in the schedule planner. Your wording stays with your chosen clock on screen, in the text download and in print. Save it in this browser only if you want to keep it here. Check the next caregiver's app access separately: reading the sheet does not give them control of the clock.