Kids getting up at 4/5 am?

[CompletelyStumped]

Heya, could really use a bit of advice right about now. I've two dc, 4 and 3, who go to bed roughly 7.30/8 pm which I thought was pretty reasonable til lately. Except they've started getting up at 4/5 am and taking food out the cupboards/fridge (yogurts/crisps/fruit/general stuff for dd school packed lunch) and shifting the furniture about (this morning they tipped the sofa over and pushed the chair against the sitting room door) and watching cartoons. I'm a heavy sleeper normally, only every really wake during the night if I hear crying, so I'm not entirely sure exactly what time they're getting up. I woke at 4 30 ish am this morning when I heard the sofa bang.

Aside from the obvious safety risks of them doing all of this, it's also meaning they're exhausted for school and nursery the next day as they rarely go back to sleep once they've woken and I'm completely exhausted during the day from being awake so early (I'm a lp so don't have anyone else to help out).

To top that all off, we also live in a four in the block with us on the top floor, so my downstairs neighbours are being woken up by this anyway. Although me and my downstairs neighbours don't get on (I believe they completely over react about the children playing during the day/cat running during the day/toilet being flushed more than once per hour etc which all started way before the children making noise during the night) I don't want them having to suffer through being woken up this early either, I completely agree it is absolutely unacceptable for them to have to put up with this too.

I've tried not saying a word and repeatedly putting them back to bed/taking away toys/shouting/explaining why they're in the wrong/not allowing them to watch cartoons etc. Nothing seems to work and I'm scared that they'll get hurt if I don't wake up as soon as they do. I've no idea how to stop them.

Any advice? Would be so much appreciated x

[Stillnoidea]

We have fairy lights on a timer and DS is not allowed up until the lights come on. You set them for something achievable first and then advance the time by 5-10 mins every day until you get to a time that's sensible. Rewards for when they stay in bed - we used to do something instant like smarties or watching telly, rather than a sticker chart which seemed too disconnected.

[teacher54321]

Stair gates so they can't get out of their room? Or do they get up for a wee in the night? Locks high up on the kitchen and living room doors so they can't get in? Sounds tough, really early mornings are a killer!

[MrsWinnibago]

I'd put a bolt on the sitting room door personally. But that might not be a fire safe solution....bit hard. My sister's twins did this for about a year.

[CompletelyStumped]

I'll try the fairy lights on a timer, that should make dd happy and she's the reason ds wakes so perhaps he'll sleep all night without her waking him lol. The sitting room and kitchen doors open inwards, it would make putting a bolt on a bit difficult though not impossible, but safety gates are a no go, both use the toilet during the night/climb into my bed and dd is able to open them :s

Discovered that one when she was two and opened the safety gate that blocked her from the kitchen, caught her trying to climb on the shelves even back then :s similar with the travel ones, she knows to spin the bits and the gate comes off iykwim. But I'll give the fairy lights a go and attempt the bolts if it fails, thanks :)

[CompletelyStumped]

And sorry if that was a bit rambled, kinda exhausted and not thinking straight lol