Early rising

[nellyjelly]

5-20 today. 5.30 usually, getting earlier with the lighter mornings despite blackout blinds. I am knackered. DS is 2.6 and still has a nap of around 1 hr at lunchtime.

I went through this with DD and she didn't really sleep in til 7 ish until she went to school. However I do 't think I can cope again for another couple of years!

Any suggestions? He still seems to need his nap, though so do I with a dawn start to the day.

[grants1000]

Can you sew? If not, find someone who can.

You get blackout material, fold it over so you have two layers one on top of the other and sew together. You sew velcro all the way round the four edges on one side, and you stick the other side of the velcro (get the sticky backed stuff) all round your window, on the frame, then simply put the material against the window and seal all the way round, velcro to velcro. It totally cuts out the light with the seal of the velcro against the window frame and the double thickness blackout material.

Black out roller and roman blinds are shit and let in loads of light. Sealing the light in this way is brilliant.

My Mum made mine and it stopped both DS's getting up at the crack of dawn. My eldest is now 11 and he no longers needs this as even with the curtains open and the sun in his eyes he finds it hard to get up!

[nellyjelly]

Thanks. Will see what can do. Agree current blind not effective.

[DialsMavis]

We have had some success with the gro clock, it hasn't been a magic solution but it definitely helps

[nellyjelly]

Hmmmmm. We have one of those but think he is a bit young at the moment to understand. May try it though. Thanks.

[janethommo]

Was about to start a post with this subject header!

Wish I could advise but we're the same:

our DD is waking 5:15am on the dot and we have a black out blind and black out curtains under existing curtains! We also close all doors near her room so no other light comes in!

We've had to bring forward her nap to 11:30am as she's knackered (slept 1hr 20), tried putting her to bed earlier at 6:30 but she didn't get off until after 7pm as she had a dirty nappy!

Will be watching this post...

[CarlyRose80]

We did the same and cut out some black out blind and taped it to the actual window. No light what so ever!

[sharond101]

We bought blackout blinds and made no difference to our DS's early mornings, I need a solution too.

[janethommo]

Glad we're not the only ones sharond101 - each night I hope she'll sleep to 6am ish. Going to bed now as preparing for the 5:15am start

[emmyloo2]

You have my sympathies. Our DS is 2.5 and he is awake every morning between 5am and 5,30am. Sometimes he goes back to sleep but very rarely. He has a short nap during the day but even if he doesn't nap, it makes no difference. Early, late bed times make no difference. It's heading into winter here so it's pitch black when he wakes up. And we have blackout blinds in any event. Tried to clock. Too young to understand.

I have tried everything. The only thing that gives me hope is people say they grow out of it around age 3. I am clinging to that hope.

To be honest, I just go to bed at 9pm every night. Makes for a shit social life but I work full-time and it's the only way I can cope. Last night my DH and I were asleep at 8.30pm.

I am going to try and bring his bed time forward a little (he currently goes to bed around 7.45-8pm) so at least we get a little more time in the evening.

The only benefit is it does get you up and moving early and you get lots done!

[nellyjelly]

I am glad not to be alone in this! dD was the same and she grew out of it but not til she started school. Think it is just a developmental thing amd will have to grin and bear it.

[sharond101]

Nellyjelly we may have to bear it but none of us are grinning

[nellyjelly]

Well maybe not grinning then.

[CorrieDale]

Only stopped for us when I put a digital clock in 3yo DS's room and explained he couldn't get up until 6 dot dot 4 0. There were sanctions for early rising. It took a while but he got it!